Offer Your Throat to the Wolf
by cedfiafics
Summary: Legitimacy to the throne would be a nice thing to have. Unfortunately everything comes with a price. Cedric/Adult Sofia (Dark Cedfia) M for suggestive language and violence
1. Famous Last Words

AN: This is another one of those "meant to be a oneshot" things that spiraled into something else entirely. Originally I wanted to write a what if/alternate timeline for Day of the Sorcerers but I chose to go a slightly different route with it once it morphed into something larger.

I fully expect this thing to go MA but for the time being I'll keep it at a T rating.

I hope you enjoy! Let me know what you think!

* * *

"It's been a while..." She spoke in a low voice, keeping her eyes downcast at the cell floor beneath her.

"Yes it has." He replied, tapping his fingers along each bar of the cell as he paced back and forth.

"Months." She hissed before finally raising her gaze to look at his face, though he didn't afford her the same courtesy. "Or has it been years? I've lost track."

"You know it pains me to see you this way." He muttered. "You can't fault me for not visiting. I hate these conditions you're in. It upsets me."

"Not enough, clearly." She said, shaking her shackled feet so that the chains dragged across the stone floor with a grating sound. She watched as he winced at the noise and gave a small shutter. He still wouldn't raise his eyes to meet hers and that was perhaps the most upsetting of all. "Look at me, Cedric."

Cedric cast a quick sideways glance, just enough to make out a blurred image from the corner of his eye. He hadn't focused on the image of her because he knew it would be far too heartbreaking to see his former friend in chains and rags. "It didn't have to be this way."

"Says the man who made it this way." She spat.

Cedric ceased his pacing and gripped the cell door, pressing his face between the cool metal of the iron bars. He kept his eyes downward and to the right, still finding it hard to look at her. "I have a proposition for you."

A scoff fell from her lips and her eyes rolled back so far they may as well have disappeared. "You have nothing to offer me."

"I have everything to offer you." He reminded her. "I have _everything_."

"But nothing you'd be willing to part with." She snapped haughtily. "You have the amulet, the kingdom, my family... and I know you'd never give me any of it."

"I can offer you your freedom." He said softly.

"That would be a very foolish move, even for you." She retorted. "You know that I would fight against you with everything that I have left in me if you let me go."

"The freedom would be conditional." Cedric replied, unlocking the cell door to step closer to her. He raised his gaze to her lower half knowing full well he would have to give her the dignity of eye contact sooner or later. "The people of the kingdom are restless. There's talk of revolution. They say I'm not their rightful king."

"You're _not_." She said coldly.

"That may be true... but you still remain." He closed the distance between them until there were mere inches separating them. He had no choice but to lay eyes on her now, disheveled and filthy but far from broken. There was such rage in her eyes and that was infinitely more painful to see than her pitiful appearance. "The citizens still think of you as a rightful heir to the throne. You're their beloved princess. They accept you as a leader."

Her eyes flickered over his face in disbelief. Surely he couldn't be suggesting what she thought he might be. She drew back from him as far as her shackles would allow and looked him up and down. "You should leave before you make a fool of yourself, Cedric."

She knew what he was getting at, he could tell by her reaction. A snicker fell from his lips and he gave her a simple shrug in return. "Things are the way they are. I can't help the situation any more than you can. It's the only solution I have at this point."

"Your solution should be to undo what you've done." She said with a low grumble. "You took over the kingdom with the hopes that you would finally become Cedric the Great but do you know what they whisper behind your back? Words of treason. They call you Cedric the Terrible, and that's what you are. You're terrible."

Her words stung more than he cared to admit. He tried to mask the pain by feigning anger. "Who dares call me that behind my back?"

"Everyone, Cedric." She said, a small smile of satisfaction finding its way to her face. "Everyone."

"They won't be saying that soon enough." He reached into his sleeve, pulling out his most capable wand. A quick flick of his wrist pulled her up into a standing position as he worked at transforming her rags into a pristine white gown fit for the most elegant princess. Her auburn curls were swept up onto her head under a stunning tiara and the dirt that smudged her fair skin was whisked away. When he was quite pleased with her appearance he tucked the wand away and looked her over calmly. "This doesn't have to be temporary."

She glanced down at herself, unimpressed with her change in wardrobe. It was only an illusion. Everything with him always had been. She took a step forward but her shackles didn't allow her much further than that. She raised her hand to his face, pressing her fingertips against his cheek with care. "I suppose I could have anything I wanted if I were to say yes to your proposition."

"Anything within reason." He spoke quietly and for a moment he allowed a small smile to tug at the corner of his lips. "I could give you everything you desire, Sofia. You only need become my bride."

"Is that all?" Sofia whispered before moving her hand to slap him across the face. "I would die in this prison alone before I would ever marry you, Cedric."

He drew back from her reach, the sting of the slap still dancing along his flesh. His initial reaction was anger at her audacity but he knew she was only giving him precisely what he deserved for what he'd done to her. "I implore you to reconsider. It's not my wish to keep you this way."

"This is the only way you'll _ever_ have me."


	2. Deal With the Devil

AN: Thank you for the reviews so far! I love reading all your input! I hope to hear more!

It was mentioned that it isn't explicitly stated how long Cedric has had Sofia held captive and I wanted it to be that way (mostly because I couldn't decide exactly how long) but rest assured, Sofia is in her early-mid twenties.

Guys, I think this story is gonna run a little longer and a whole lot darker than I expected... so strap in and please enjoy!

* * *

A week had gone by, or maybe it had been two. It was hard to keep count when one was locked in a cell without any windows. Outside the door to her prison stood two guards but she never saw their faces. None of the guards were allowed near her cell after one particular man had gotten a little too handsy with her during his solo watch. There was still a stain from his blood on the wall where Cedric had unleashed his rage upon the guard. It served as a constant reminder of the consequences that awaited those who dare lay a finger on her.

She could hear the footsteps on the stairs. Someone was coming her way and it wasn't a servant of the castle. She knew this footfall better than she cared to admit. He was coming back.

There was a turn of the key in the lock and the door creaked open and then closed once more. More distinct footfall before he came into view.

"Back so soon?" She said, raising her eyes to his face. But he didn't respond and he didn't pace back and forth in front of her cell refusing eye contact like he always did. He entered the cell immediately and moved to sit directly across from her. His gaze burrowed into hers with an intensity she'd never seen matched before and it caught her off guard. "Cedric-"

"I don't want things to be like this." He said at a volume one had to strain to hear. "You don't belong in this cell."

"You're the one who put me here." She said, leaning closer to stare hard at him.

"And I want nothing more than to take you out of here." Cedric said, looking at the woman with every ounce of his sincerity. "But I can't do that without a little guarantee."

She could feel her face contorting involuntarily into a sneer. It was a look she'd never imagined would be so commonplace on her features but somehow he managed to make it happen time and time again. "You insult me. I already gave you my answer."

"It was my hope that you would reconsider." He replied, doing his best to keep his voice steady. "This is about more than just legitimacy to the throne, Sofia. It's about your freedom. Surely you want more than these cell bars."

"Oh yes. I want more. Much more." Sofia retorted. "But not at the cost of my dignity. Not so you can parade me around as your pretty little wife, complacent and submissive to your every desire. And believe me, Cedric, I'm well aware of exactly what it is you desire."

Cedric averted his gaze from the young woman. They both knew her meaning; his unspoken want of her. It must have been painfully obvious, though he tried his best to mask it. He cleared his throat and looked back at her. "I wouldn't have you do anything unsavory. All I ask is that you rule beside me as my queen."

"You know, when I was younger I always worried that I might end up trapped in some loveless marriage because of my status as a princess." Sofia said, now finding it harder and harder to look at Cedric's face. "I never once thought it would be with you."

"It wouldn't be loveless on my end." Cedric said softly. "I care a great deal about you, Sofia. I think you know that."

"That's why I'm _here_." She said with a snort. "Shackled to the floor of this cell."

Cedric sighed and shook his head at Sofia's words. "It was better than the alternative."

Sofia scoffed and scowled at the sorcerer. "At least I would be with my family."

"You wouldn't know them." Cedric replied. "And they wouldn't know you."

"It would still be better than this hell on earth where I'm forced to interact with you." Sofia muttered.

Cedric watched the young woman quietly for a moment. She was doing her best to hide that her face was filled with pain but he could see it underneath all the animosity she projected at him. A thought crossed his mind, a risky idea, but if he was lucky it might pay off. She would see him as sympathetic and less of a monster. He stood slowly and reached out a hand to his captive princess. "Would you like to see them?"

Sofia tensed, her eyes growing wide. "Wh-what?"

"I'll take you to see your family." Cedric said with a small smile. "But you must promise to behave."

She looked up at him in disbelief. In all the years she'd been his prisoner he'd never once offered to let her leave the cell. Now he was giving her the chance to do so, and to see her family at that. "Take me."

Cedric produced his wand and knelt to unlock the shackles at Sofia's feet. He noticed with instant regret that the metal of the fetters had worn at her skin over the years leaving the flesh there looking gnarled and painful. He grimaced at the sight but there was no magic spell in his repertoire that he could use to remove the scarring. He turned his eyes away from the unpleasant sight and stood, reaching down to help her up.

Sofia refused the man's help, preferring instead to struggle on her own. Years of imprisonment hadn't afforded her much strength but she'd be damned before she'd lean on _him_ for support. After a few attempts at pushing herself off the ground she managed to stand on trembling legs. Her ankles had become accustomed to the constant support of the shackles and it felt strange to move around without them. Even still, it was liberating to be free of them.

"I'll have to obstruct your vision until we get there, you understand." Cedric said. "Would you prefer a physical blindfold or an enchantment?"

Sofia felt a shudder run through her at the idea of the _caecus_ enchantment. The last time she had been blinded with it, it had been at Cedric's hands. She couldn't reverse it no matter how hard she tried. It was terrifying for the short amount of time he'd left her in that state. She could only hear the chaos going on around her but she hadn't been able to see the bloodshed. Perhaps it had been for the best after all, though the thought still petrified her. "Blindfold me if you must."

Cedric used his wand to conjure a strip of fabric. He moved to stand behind the young woman, hands steady as he placed the fabric over her eyes. Once he was certain her sight was blocked he moved to the front of her and took her hands gently. She jerked back from him but seemed to realize that she would be reliant on him to lead her. He took her hands securely in his own once more and pulled her along.

Sofia stepped forward, hesitant to allow Cedric to guide her anywhere. She didn't trust him, though she didn't think he was deceiving her either. After all, one doesn't set a trap for a caged mouse. He seemed to take care with her as they started up the stairs and out of the prison. A deep breath of air told her she was no longer in the sub levels of the castle. It had been so long since she had inhaled air that didn't smell like the dank, dark underground of a troll cave, it was almost too much to handle on an emotional level.

He led her along much further, up another set of stairs and then down two more until they came to a place far worse than her own little slice of hell. Though she couldn't see she still had use of all her other senses. The first thing she noticed outside of the putrid smell was the wretched sound of indistinguishable groans. The air in the room felt stagnant and thick and made her flesh crawl with the sensation of filth. She covered her nose with her hands and attempted to breathe through her mouth but she could even taste the foul atmosphere.

That was when she felt Cedric remove the blindfold from her face. Her eyes adjusted to the new level of light. There was a solitary flame burning above the exit, though it didn't feel like there was enough oxygen in the room for it to survive. When her vision cleared she was caught off guard by the appearance of a face that looked strikingly familiar, though it had changed over the many years since she had seen it last.

A gasp fell from her mouth as she stumbled forward to grasp the face through the bars of the cell. "James! Oh James!" She looked over his face in despair. He appeared sickly pale with dark circles around his hollow, lifeless eyes. There were remnants of his last meal plastered down the front of him. There didn't seem to be any recognition on his features that he knew who she was, or even that she was touching him. "What's wrong with him?"

"The spell I used... it didn't work quite as intended." Cedric said quietly. "I merely meant to remove their memories. Instead it removed everything."

Sofia looked past James to see the forms of her mother, father and sister shambling about in the cell. They too seemed to be in a state of stupor; entirely unaware of their surroundings or her presence. Tears rushed to her eyes and a lump grew in her throat to the point that she thought she might choke. "This is awful. C-can you reverse it?"

"The spell was something of my own creation. As of yet there is no way to counter it." Cedric answered, watching in discomfort as the princess pawed at her brother's face sorrowfully. "They are completely incapable of caring for themselves in this state. They only eat when food is provided."

"Who is in charge of caring for them?" Sofia croaked out, brushing her fingers through her brother's dirty, knotted hair.

"There is no one I can trust." Cedric replied. "They need care beyond what I can provide."

"I will care for them." Sofia said immediately, turning to face Cedric. "Please. Please let me care for them."

Cedric let out an uncomfortable sigh and looked away from the princess. "You know I can't allow you to-"

"I'll accept your proposal." Sofia said, forcing her gaze to meet Cedric's despite every bit of her wanting to look away. "Let me care for them and I'll give you what you want. I'll be your queen."

Cedric's breath caught in his throat but the moment of excitement was fleeting. "Sofia, you understand everything that entails, don't you?"

"Yes." Sofia said, lowering her head. "You win. But if I can help them, even if it means nothing to them... then I'm yours. Do we have a deal?"

Cedric stared down at the princess in silent thought. It was an intriguing deal to consider. On one hand, she would give herself willing over to him, allowing him to lay claim to the throne from a legal standpoint. On the other hand, she was a determined young woman and giving her access to her family could prove hazardous if she chose to make any rash decisions. But the expression on her face was one of such woe and he was so very weak for her. He couldn't deny her. "Very well. It's a deal."


	3. White Wedding

AN: Here we are already at the third chapter! I know these chapters have been on the shorter side but that will change soon.

So, I don't really have an update schedule for this story or anything. I'm trying to stay a few chapters ahead of what I post in case I hit a wall so that I'm not leaving you guys hanging for too terribly long. Basically that means that once I finish a future chapter I post a current chapter. That can happen on a weekday or weekend at any given time so it's kind of up in the air as to when I'll post; just fyi in case anybody was wondering.

I love reading all your reviews and seeing everyone's take on the events so far! There's definitely some interesting theories floating around but these lips are sealed. ;) I'm sorry I haven't taken the time to reply personally to the reviews. I usually just don't know what to say in response and end up feeling really awkward. But know that they're all amazing and I love them!

Please enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think!

* * *

When Sofia had been a child she'd often imagined what her wedding day would be like; surrounded by friends and family at a small celebration, standing across from the man of her dreams vowing to love him until the end of their days.

The reality was revolting.

While the ceremony was indeed small, that was the only semblance it had to the fantasies of her youth. She knew almost no one at her wedding outside of Grimtrix, whom Cedric had chosen to officiate the ceremony. The irony that she and Cedric were to be wed by the only man she loathed more than her future husband was not lost on her.

Despite the ornate décor and the lavish gown the entirety of the event was very sterile. There were no vows of love or promises of forever and, mercifully, there was no kiss. There were only the most clinical and necessary statements that legally bound them as husband and wife giving Cedric the unfettered claim to the crown that he so desired. Sofia knew it would only temporarily quell the discontent growing within the citizens of the kingdom but that wasn't her problem to worry about.

Her only concern was to care for her family.

Immediately after the ceremony she removed the gown and jewels Cedric had commissioned for her. Though these items were real, they were every bit as much of an illusion to her as the gown he'd created with magic when he'd first made his proposal. The ring with which he'd wed her, however, would not budge from her finger.

A constant reminder.

Unwilling to let her know the exact location of her family, Cedric had each member brought to her one at a time in a designated room. It was a painstaking task to bathe and groom them all but it was something she did with no amount of hesitation.

By far the hardest to accept was her sister. Seeing the woman who at one time took such pride in her appearance look so unkempt and soiled was like a knife to her heart. She took extra care to comb through her sister's hair, making certain that every last tangle was removed.

She tried speaking to each of them but she only received small grunts and groans in response. It was almost as if they wanted to speak but couldn't. She wondered if they were still there inside, seeing this all from some dark hole within themselves where they couldn't climb out.

All of this only made her despise Cedric even more.

When it came time to eat, Sofia didn't have much of an appetite but Cedric insisted she join him for dinner anyhow. It was awkward, sitting across the table from him, watching him eat as though nothing was out of the ordinary when inside she was willing him to choke on his meal. She ate sparingly and kept her eyes downcast until she heard him clear his throat to gain her attention.

"How was your day?" Cedric asked, hoping to break the terrible silence in the room.

Sofia stared at him, mild disbelief at his audacity to ask such a question, though it really shouldn't have come as a shock. "I cleaned years of filth from my family's bodies. How do you think it went?"

Cedric cringed but forced a smile anyhow. "I was thinking that I might try to find someone trustworthy enough to care for them. You shouldn't have to-"

"I agreed to marry you on the condition that I would be allowed to care for my family. You _will_ _not_ take that from me." Sofia said bitterly.

"Yes, of course." Cedric said quickly. "I only meant that it seemed to take you all day. I'm sure there is more you'd like to do with your time."

"Not really." Sofia said turning her eyes back to her food.

Cedric looked away from the woman, sucking in a deep breath as he tried to think of a way to smooth things over with her. He knew life would be miserable for both of them if he didn't make an effort to make amends. "I was thinking, perhaps you could help out with some of the royal duties. I'm sure it would go over much more swimmingly if you handled things."

"I'm not here to do your job for you." Sofia said plainly. "You wanted to be king. You got it."

Cedric sighed heavily and placed his hands on the table in front of him. "Sofia, please. I know this isn't the life you wanted but this can benefit us both if you let it."

Benefit. It was a laughable idea. Nothing was ever going to be for her benefit ever again. She pushed her food away and crossed her arms over her chest. "Can I return to my cell now?"

"Your cell?" Cedric's brow furrowed and he cast the woman a half-smile. "You're not sleeping in a prison cell. You're my wife."

"I'm _not_ sharing your bed if that's what you're suggesting." Sofia retorted.

Cedric chuckled softly and shook his head. He wiped his mouth with a napkin and stood, motioning for the woman to follow. "Come along."

Sofia watched Cedric warily for a moment but he only seemed to find amusement in the situation. Reluctantly she followed after him as he led her out of the dining room, up the stairs and down a long, once familiar hall. He stopped at a room that had at one time been used as a guest room for visiting royalty. She watched him push the door open and urge her inside.

The room looked unlived in and meticulously clean. She looked it over in confusion before turning to face him. "Why this room?"

"Your old room is unlivable at the moment." Cedric answered. "But this room is right across the hall from mine. I'll be close by, should you need me."

Sofia let out a snort and rolled her eyes. "You mean you'll be close by if I try to escape."

"That as well." Cedric said with a small laugh. "But I hope that one day I'll be able to trust that you won't leave."

"My family is here." Sofia muttered. "I'm not going anywhere without them."

Cedric watched the young woman calmly as she turned away from him and stepped further into the room. He watched her run her hands over the expensive bedspread, a twinge of hope spiking within him that she would be pleased. "Is this room to your liking?"

"So long as you're not in it." Sofia answered, casting a sour glance at the man over her shoulder. "Leave me alone."

"As you wish." Cedric replied, casting the woman a regretful smile.

Sofia kept her gaze narrowed in Cedric's direction as he backed away from the room, closing the door as he went. She allowed herself the small reprieve of flopping down onto the bed where she sunk into the overstuffed mattress before the feeling of overwhelming anguish crept up on her. She grabbed the nearest pillow and latched onto it as she buried her face against it and sobbed her way into slumber.


	4. Deeper Devastation

AN: I've seriously written so much this weekend and it's only Sunday morning. So here's another chapter for you!

Two new characters introductions in this chapter. I hope you guys don't mind some OCs. They're necessary to move the story along.

Anyhow, thank you as always for your reviews! Please enjoy and let me know what you think!

* * *

Sofia awoke to the sound of light tapping on a wooden door. For a moment she forgot where she had laid her head to rest and expected to see the inside of her prison cell when her eyes snapped open. Instead she saw the minty green fabric of a canopy overhead. She groaned loudly, wanting her disappointment that she had not awaken from this nightmare to be well known to whoever was knocking.

She climbed off the bed and shuffled irritably toward the door but when she pulled it open she saw with relief that it wasn't her husband. It was a young servant girl, Abigail, who occasionally brought her meals in her cell. "Oh, it's just you."

"Good morning, Your Majesty." Abigail said with a curtsy to the queen. "King Cedric sent me to wake you for breakfast."

"I'm not hungry." Sofia grumbled. "The thought of that man makes me lose my appetite."

"He though you might say as much." Abigail replied, pulling a wheeled cart into sight. "So he had me bring it to you instead."

Damn him. How dare he know her reaction before she even got the chance to have it. She was then torn between giving him the satisfaction of being right or giving him the satisfaction of actually dining with him. She chose the former and reached out to grab the cart but the servant girl was already pushing her way in the room. "I'm capable of feeding myself, thank you."

"Yes, I'm sure, Your Majesty." Abigail agreed with a chipper grin. "However, King Cedric has assigned me to be your chambermaid as well as your personal assistant. Consider me a lady in waiting without the pedigree."

Sofia narrowed her eyes at the servant's enthusiastic nature. It wasn't that she disliked the girl, rather it was just that she didn't trust anyone whom Cedric had hired to staff the castle after the takeover. In her mind, anyone who would go to work for _that monster_ was lacking in moral fortitude and she didn't wish to give any of them the decency of her time. "I don't need a chambermaid or an assistant. I'm capable of dressing myself as well."

"Of course you are." Abigail replied with a smile. "I'm just here to help. Which reminds me, King Cedric had the cook prepare a lovely porridge for your family. I'm to help you feed them and care for them from now on."

"I don't need help." Sofia said, turning her attention to the cart. She lifted the cloche covering her food to see that she had an array of options sitting before her. All of it looked delicious but at the thought that her family was surviving on a diet of mush a feeling of guilt washed over her. She slammed the cloche back down and shook her head. "I'll eat with my family."

"I-if you insist, Your Majesty." Abigail replied with another curtsy.

Sofia turned from the servant girl and started into the closet. She found that it was already full of gowns which meant many a seamstress had spent painstaking hours creating dresses for her in a short amount of time at Cedric's behest. She felt a smidgen of pity for them but only for a moment. After all, they could have refused. She plucked the plainest gown she could find from the rack and dressed in it.

She noticed with interest that fashion had seemed to change in the years she'd been locked away. None of the gowns required hoop skirts or petticoats and the fitted bodice around her breasts left no need for a corset. It seemed to be a rather practical style and for that she was relieved.

Once she was fully dressed she brushed through her hair, swept it up onto her head and started out of the room. She saw with annoyance that she was closely followed by the servant girl. She did her best to ignore Abigail's presence, preferring to get to her family as quickly as possible.

She made her way down the stairs to the room Cedric had established for her family's care. It was there she waited anxiously for the first to arrive. When her family had been brought to her the day before it had been by an elderly woman so it came as a bit of a shock to her when a man about ten years her senior opened the door and strolled in with her mother in a wheelchair.

She was instantly on edge at the idea that this man was allowed anywhere near her mother unattended. She stood with clenched fists and eyed the man warily but he turned to leave before she could address him. Her gaze snapped over to Abigail for answers. "Who was that man? Where is the woman who brought my family to me yesterday?"

"Ms. Agnes is far too weak to wheel them all back and forth every day." Abigail replied. "That's Lord Jonathan, the captain of the guard. King Cedric trusts him with almost everything."

Sofia scowled and hurried to her mother to check the woman over but she didn't seem to have been harmed in any way. She whirled back around and stared hard at Abigail. "I don't want my mother or sister left unattended with _any_ man."

"I understand your concern." Abigail said, smiling in an attempt to reassure the queen. "But Lord Jonathan is a very kind and trustworthy man. I'm sure he-"

"You are to stay with him when he brings my family members." Sofia said sternly. "You want to be my assistant, that's what you can do to assist me. Now go."

She watched as the servant girl hurried off at her command before she returned her attention to her mother. The next several hours were spent feeding, bathing and grooming the members of her family one at a time. It was a far less difficult experience now that they were relatively clean in comparison to how they had been.

Whatever they ate, she ate as well; porridge for breakfast, soup for lunch and a somewhat gritty but otherwise tasty gruel for dinner. It was a decidedly miserable experience and she had only done it for a single day. She couldn't imagine how awful it had been for her family the past several years, though it was hard to tell if they minded at all.

She passed the time by talking to them once more but there was no response outside of the usual grunts. Still, it was comforting to her to be able to speak with them. She had been unable to do so for so long, even just talking about the weather seemed fulfilling.

But as the evening became the night she was left standing in the room watching as Abigail wheeled her father out. She wrapped her arms around herself for comfort. Each time she had to watch a family member be taken away it was as though all the air was sucked from the room. Her gaze was so focused on where her father had exited that she didn't hear the footsteps approaching until they were right behind her. She whipped around to see her husband standing a few feet away, an uneasy smile on his face.

"How was your day?" Cedric asked, hopeful to get a better answer than he had the night before, though he knew that was likely far too much to hope for.

Sofia clenched her fists at her sides and glared at Cedric. "Would you care to explain to me why there was some man I've never met bringing my mother to me entirely unattended this morning?" She asked with a growl. "Why I had to send that girl you burdened me with to keep an eye on him? How could you even allow that to happen after... after what almost happened to me?"

"That was an isolated incident." Cedric replied, though as soon as it came from his mouth he realized it was the absolute worst thing he could say. He tried to soften it. "I've put forth every precaution to prevent that from happening again and that man received a just punishment for his actions."

"Yes, I was there. I saw." Sofia said, her voice trembling. "But that was me. I could scream and I could fight back. I'm talking about my mother and my sister. They're defenseless. If anything happens to either one of them-"

"The servant woman I had assigned to bring your family to you said it was far too difficult for her to bring them up and down stairs, especially in the wheel chairs." Cedric explained calmly. "The captain of the guard was standing nearby and overheard the issue. He volunteered to help and you're very lucky that he did. Otherwise you might not have been able to see your family at all today. You should be grateful for his help."

"I should be grateful!?" Sofia roared.

Cedric sighed and raised his hands innocently. "I only meant-"

"You unbelievable bastard." Sofia said under her breath. Tears were stinging at her eyes but she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her cry. She took a step forward and raised her hand to strike him across the face but the blow was blocked when he caught her by the wrist.

"Don't hit me." Cedric said sternly.

"You _don't_ get to tell me what to do." Sofia retorted.

"It seems clear to me that you don't understand the severity of the situation you're in, my dear. Allow me to enlighten you." Cedric said in a low voice that bordered on threatening. "I _do_ get to tell you what to do. Now, I agreed to allow you to care for your family but I am in no way obligated to do so if you start to behave this way. You are my wife now and you will start acting like it. That means you will treat me with the respect I deserve."

"I _am_ treating you with the respect you deserve." Sofia snapped haughtily. "It just so happens to be that you don't deserve _any_."

"You would do well to mind your tongue, Sofia. You know I'm not a forgiving man." Cedric said, narrowing his gaze on the woman.

Sofia glared up at Cedric. There was so much rage boiling inside her she felt like she about to erupt. "I hate you. I never thought I would ever be capable of hating anyone but here I stand wishing the worst on you. I think even death would be too good for you."

"You are not to see your family tomorrow." Was all Cedric offered as a reply.

Sofia froze and looked up at the man I horror. "What!?"

"You heard what I said." Cedric answered.

"Y-You can't do that!" Sofia cried out.

"I'm the king." Cedric replied coldly. "I can do whatever the hell I want."

Sofia stared at Cedric, all the fury within her was now bubbling to the surface. She screamed in anger and tried to hit him with her free hand but he captured that wrist as well and held her tightly as she tried to thrash against him. "You bastard! You're absolutely terrible! I hate you!"

"Two days." Cedric warned, but it didn't seem to stop the fit his wife was having. She continued vainly to try and hit him but she was weak and his hold on her was rigid. She was doing little more than tiring herself out. Still, she persisted and he wasn't about to let such actions go unpunished. "One week, Sofia. You are not to see your family for one week. Would you care to try for longer?"

Sofia stopped herself momentarily, the tears she'd been trying to hide earlier now evident on her face. She was still so full of rage and she wanted to lash out at him but she knew he would make good on his threats to keep her from her family if she didn't calm down. He'd already kept her from them for years. A handful of days more meant nothing to him. She looked away from him and shifted to a submissive posture, though she was still tense.

"Good girl." Cedric whispered, releasing his hold on her.

Sofia kept her gaze averted from the man. It damn near killed her to give him the gratification of anything but it would hurt her far worse to be kept from her family so she swallowed her pride and lowered her hands to her sides. She could feel him staring at her for a long while and she could hear him open his mouth to take a breath as though he wanted to say something but kept thinking better of it. After a while he turned and left her standing there.

It was all she could do to will her feet into movement. She just needed to get back to her room. She couldn't allow herself to fall apart there. No, not there.

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AN #2: Fun fact, all the chapter titles are also titles of songs. Some of the song lyrics don't necessarily have anything to do with the chapter at all but this particular chapter is an exception. If you would like to look up the lyrics/listen to the song it is "Deeper Devastation" by Jesca Hoop


	5. Sympathy For the Devil

AN: I'm quite excited to share this chapter with you... but not nearly as excited as I will be to share the following two chapters. Unfortunately that has to wait until I get a _bit_ more writing done.

It's fun seeing the mixed reviews about Sofia's attitude. I love it on so many levels! I hope to hear more input from you all! It brightens my day with every review I receive!

Please enjoy this chapter!

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Morning had come far too quickly for Sofia's liking. She hadn't slept well. She'd been up a majority of the night fretting over her family and what the following day would be like for them. Would they remain wherever Cedric had them locked up? Would they go without food as punishment for her actions? Would they realize that she wasn't there to care for them?

Sleep hadn't claimed her until the early morning hours. She felt exhausted as she lay in bed, the sound of a knock on the door echoing through the room. She didn't feel she had the strength to pull herself from the bed so she remained still and called out to the intruder of her solitude. "I'm awake!"

Abigail opened the door to the queen's room and pulled a cart of food in behind her. "Good morning, Your Majesty!"

"There's nothing good about it." Sofia replied, her voice cracking.

Abigail forced a smile, doing her best to ignore the woman's bleak words as she pulled back the covers so Sofia could rise. "I've got quite a busy day ahead of me today. If there's anything you need, please let me know now."

"The only thing I need is to see my family." Sofia said, turning her gaze to the servant girl. "But _your king_ won't allow it."

"Y-yes, he mentioned you two had a tiff last night." Abigail said in a small voice.

Sofia let out a snort and rolled her eyes. "A tiff is something lovers and friends have. He is neither of those things to me."

Abigail bit her bottom lip and looked away from the woman in discomfort. "Anyhow, I'll be very busy today. King Cedric wants me to care for your family in your stead. Is there anything I should know?"

Sofia sat up and looked to Abigail in surprise. "He's having you care for them?"

Abigail smiled and nodded. "Yes. He said that it's my duty as your assistant to fulfill obligations that you can not."

It felt for a moment as though Sofia's heart skipped a beat. There was a sense of relief that washed over her at the idea that her family wouldn't have to suffer because of her. "That's... that's fine, I suppose. Just make sure that my mother and sister aren't left unattended with any men. I don't trust anyone Cedric hired to serve in this castle."

"I know your requirements, Your Majesty." Abigail replied, bowing her head. "Anything else?"

"No. There's nothing." Sofia answered back. She flopped down on the bed and stared upward as the servant girl curtsied and exited the room. It was in that very bed she intended to remain all day. Cedric may punish her but there was no way she was going to let him see how much it truly bothered her.

But as the hours ticked by from morning to afternoon she began to grow restless. Years of sitting in a single room shackled to the floor did not make one eager to spend all day lying in bed, no matter how comfortable the mattress was.

She peeled herself off the bed and pushed aside the cart of food. Perhaps it was guilt or maybe just her anger, but she had no appetite. Instead she entered her closet and picked a gown at random to dress for the day.

There was little else to do but wander the halls at that point, if only to see what had been changed. She made her way along, passing unscrupulous looking guards as she went. Her original intent was to visit her family's old rooms. If she couldn't be close them physically it would at least help her to feel close to them in spirit. But when she reached the wing of the castle where she used to dwell she found that all the bedrooms had been boarded up. There was no easy entry and she was far too weak to try and pry the doors open without any tool.

At a loss, she slumped down in the hall and sat staring at the ceiling in thought.

Her stomach was in knots over everything. Her family was in a state of seemingly irreparable damage and she knew there was nothing Cedric would do to reverse it. Keeping her family the way they were was how he was going to keep her under his thumb. She didn't want to be under his thumb.

She pushed herself off the floor and started swiftly back down the hall. There was one place she could go that might actually be of help to her and she didn't know why it hadn't occurred to her sooner. She headed for Cedric's tower, hoping beyond all hope that he'd left it unchanged. After all, she had known her way around his workshop well enough as a child. She knew where he kept his spell books and potions, but more importantly, his wands.

Pure determination was all that kept her going as she hurried up the stairs. The door to the workshop was locked but Cedric, creature of habit as he was, foolishly kept the key hidden in the same place it had always been. She slid the hollow stone toe of the gargoyle up to access the key and unlocked the door, making her way inside.

The first thing she noticed was that Wormwood's perch had been moved to the center of the room. It was adorned with several black feathers and a solitary claw hanging from the footrest. At the base there sat a white candle, seemingly lit with an enchanted flame that would never burn out. She realized almost immediately that it was a remembrance shrine for the raven. It came as a small shock to learn of Wormwood's death in such a way but she knew she didn't have time to process her feelings on the matter.

She shifted her gaze to Cedric's stacks of books. There were piles upon piles and she had no idea where to begin. Of course, from a logical standpoint she knew he wouldn't have left a book of his own personal spells, particularly dangerous ones, lying about in his workshop whether the door was locked or not. Still, any one of the books could be useful. She located a book consisting of predominantly counter-magic and grabbed it.

There was a wand sitting out on the desk not far from the books. It was rather large and looked to be cumbersome but it was less likely to be noticed as missing when compared to the wands from the display on the wall. She picked it up and tapped the book she intended to take. " _Redactum_." The book shrank to a manageable size but it was still too large so she repeated the spell until it was small enough to tuck in the palm of her hand. She reached for another book but the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs gave her cause for panic. She quickly stuffed the wand down the front of her gown and folded her arms under her breasts to keep it in place. She turned to face the door in enough time to see her husband entering the room with a look of surprise plastered on his face.

"Sofia..." Cedric looked the woman over in curiosity before planting his hands on his hips. "What are you doing in here?"

"I-I came looking for a way to reverse what happened to my family." She replied, half-honestly. "Or a way to at least improve their condition."

"I'm afraid there isn't." Cedric said, closing the distance between himself and his wife. "One of the unfortunate downsides to making your own spells is that there are often no counter spells to undo what you've done if something goes wrong."

"Then why didn't you just use the _oblivio_ enchantment?" Sofia asked, a question she genuinely wanted an answer to. "You could have wiped their memories easily that way."

"Because you, young woman, have always been a formidable magic user." Cedric replied. "And I knew that if I used something as simple as the _oblivio_ enchantment you would merely undo it. What good are common spells when they can be so easily thwarted? I felt as though I had no other choice but to create a spell you couldn't reverse. Regretfully, the outcome was something far worse than I intended."

Sofia looked away from Cedric. There was a softness in his voice that sounded just enough like sincerity to make her cringe in discomfort. She wanted to change the subject. "What happened to Wormwood? Aren't ravens supposed to live very long lives?"

"Oh, my dear Wormy." Cedric said with a sigh. "He was a loyal friend. The only one I ever had, I suppose."

Sofia inhaled and parted her lips to correct Cedric that she had at one time been his friend but she quickly snapped her mouth back shut. Such a statement was needless and, in retrospect, likely untrue. A friend wouldn't have taken over her father's kingdom, locked her in a cell for years and turned her family's brains to mush. Certainly, Cedric was right. Wormwood was his only friend. "How did he die? Was it in the takeover?"

"No." Cedric shook his head and looked to the raven's stand wistfully. "It was in the uprising."

"Uprising?" Sofia's brow furrowed and she shifted to look more directly at Cedric. "What uprising?"

"The witches and warlocks." Cedric said with a snicker. "You know how they are. Not that they ever abided by a king's law anyhow, but they weren't going to stand for a _sorcerer_ as their king. Every witch and warlock in Enchancia banded together, even factions that had been warring for centuries. Their sole intent was to take me down. They were very nearly successful and had it not been for Grimtrix and Greylock's help, I wouldn't be standing here. Many died that day... including my dear Wormy."

"When did it happen?" Sofia asked before stammering out a clarification. "Th-the uprising, I mean."

"About two years after the takeover." Cedric replied, moving to smooth one of the feathers on the perch through his thumb and index finger. "You were still a child. I didn't want to alarm you by telling you but I thought for sure you would have overheard the guards talking about it at some point. All these years later and that's all they talk about. Fear of another uprising."

Sofia watched Cedric as he focused his attention on the shrine. There seemed to be so much sorrow in his face and for a moment she felt something akin to pity nipping at her subconscious. She quickly shook it away and continued the conversation. "Do _you_ fear that there will be another uprising?"

"From the witches and warlocks? No." Cedric said, turning his gaze back to Sofia. "They're all dead."

"A-all of them?" Sofia croaked out, concern overtaking her at the idea of what could have happened to the witches she knew and befriended.

"I suppose not _all_ of them." Cedric answered with a shrug. "But the ones there that day are certainly gone."

Sofia swallowed hard, afraid to ask the question she still desperately wanted the answer to. "Were there any children there?"

"No, of course not!" Cedric said, waving his hands as if dismissing the idea. "Not even those wretched _by-the-blood_ magic users would be so barbaric as to send their own children into battle. And if they had, I most definitely would not have killed them. Whatever you may think of me, Sofia, you should know that I would never harm a child."

"No, I suppose you wouldn't." Sofia muttered. "But someone like Grimtrix certainly isn't above it."

"That may be." Cedric said in agreement. "But you can rest easy. No children were killed that day."

That news was certainly a relief for Sofia. The thought of anything happening to Lucinda, Lily or Indigo would have been too much to bear on top of all the other concerns she had. She fell silent then, deep in thought about all the information she'd just been provided. Though it hadn't been too terribly much it all left her feeling like her head was spinning. But she quickly realized it wasn't the information that was dizzying. It was something else. _She_ was dizzy and quickly losing her balance. She stumbled backward and caught herself against Cedric's desk with one hand, the other arm still wrapped tightly around herself to hold the stolen wand in place. "Nngh..."

"Sofia, are you alright?" Cedric asked in concern, jolting forward to grasp the woman.

"D-don't touch me." Sofia mumbled and tried to push Cedric away but she couldn't muster the strength. Instead she had little choice but to allow him to wrap his arms around her and pull her with him down the stairs. It felt as though she was in and out of consciousness as he led her along. The periods of blackness seemed to lengthen in between the periods of awareness the further they went until there was nothing but darkness.

When her eyes next opened she was on her bed and Cedric's face was the only thing she could see. She let out a horrified cry and reached up to push him away but her hand was met with a gentle grasp.

"Sofia... please calm down. You're alright. The doctor is here." Cedric said in an effort to reassure the woman.

"Doctor?" Sofia muttered, her eyes darting around before they finally focused on the face of an elderly man looming just over Cedric's shoulder. Further behind him was a concerned looking Abigail. "Wh-what happened?"

"You fainted." Cedric answered. "The doctor said that it was likely due to a combination of a lot of things, predominantly stress and lack of food."

"The wounds on her ankles are also infected and she appears to not be sleeping much." The doctor added. "All of this has caused her to become extremely weak. She must stay bedridden for at least four days."

"Four days?" Sofia croaked. "I can't stay in this bed for four days. I'll go crazy lying here."

"Those are my orders, unless you'd like to fall and hit your head next time." The doctor retorted.

"Chambermaid, please see the doctor out." Cedric said, casting a glance over his shoulder at Abigail.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Abigail said with a nod and a curtsy.

Sofia watched through semi-blurred vision as Abigail showed the doctor to the exit. She raised a trembling hand to her forehead, only for Cedric's hand to beat hers there.

"Sofia, I'm so sorry." Cedric said, testing the woman's temperature on the back of his hand. She was a bit warm, no doubt a slight fever from the infected ankle wounds. "All this stress I've put you through these past few days... the wedding and your family and then our argument last night-"

"Cedric, please. Stop speaking." Sofia said, wincing as she gripped her head. "I feel awful. I don't want to talk."

Cedric nodded and forced a smile at his queen. "Alright. I'll leave you be. But your chambermaid will be back shortly with a proper supper for you. You _must_ eat it. You need your strength."

"I'll eat." Sofia said reluctantly.

"I mean it." Cedric said much more firmly this time.

"I'll eat." Sofia repeated. She watched as Cedric stood from where he sat at her bedside and made his way out of the room. Once she was alone she searched frantically around herself for the items she had taken from Cedric's workshop. She felt with relief that the wand was still wedged between her breasts so she fished it out quickly and tucked it under her pillows. The book, on the other hand, seemed to be missing. It had likely been dropped somewhere along the way from the tower to her bedroom.

It was so small, it could be anywhere.

She made a movement to crawl out of bed but the sound of knocking on the door forced her to remain in her spot. She watched the door open and Abigail's face appeared in the doorway.

"King Cedric sent me with food, Your Majesty." Abigail said as she stepped cautiously into the queen's room pulling her wheeled cart. "He said I'm not to leave until you eat."

Sofia sighed and scooted herself closer to the edge of the bed. "Yes, he made it very clear that I have to eat."

"I'm sure he just wants you to take care of yourself." Abigail replied. She lifted the cloche from the food and presented it to Sofia before moving to clean and bandage the woman's wounds. "I've never seen the king so worried before."

"There's nothing for him to worry about." Sofia replied with a scoff. "I'm completely fine."

Abigail gave a small laugh and shook her head at Sofia's words. "Even after all this you're still pretending to be fine? I see what he meant when he said you're always too concerned with taking care of everyone else to take care of yourself."

"He said that?" Sofia asked, her brow crinkling.

"He did." Abigail replied. "Said you've always been that way, even when you were a little girl."

Sofia blinked down at the servant girl in mild awe for a moment before giving a huff in response. "I'd thank you not to discuss anything about me with that man."

"As you wish, Your Majesty." Abigail said, bowing her head to the queen.

Sofia sat staring down at Abigail for a while before deciding that she truly did need to eat. The food smelled particularly delicious and her stomach gurgled in hunger. She shifted her attention to the cart full of food. There appeared to be two choices for dinner; a hefty sized steak with braised potatoes and rice or a pasta dish full of clams, shrimp and oysters with a salad on the side. There was even a choice of desserts, apple pie or chocolate cake.

She looked to the servant girl who was taking special care to be gentle as she wrapped Sofia's wounds in clean gauze. She glanced back at the food before returning her eyes to Abigail. "You know, there's no way I'll be able to eat all of this. Why don't you join me?"

"Oh, I couldn't possibly." Abigail said, shaking her head. "You're the queen and I-"

"Aren't you the one who said you were like my lady in waiting?" Sofia said with a cocked eyebrow. "Pedigree or not, a lady in waiting is supposed to dine with the queen when invited to. I insist."

"I suppose it's okay if you insist." Abigail replied with a smile.

Sofia allowed her lips to curve upward ever so slightly at the girl. She swung her feet over the edge of the bed so that they could sit side by side with the cart as their table. As they ate Abigail told the queen how her day had gone with the royal family and Sofia listened with an eager ear. Though she hadn't been able to be with them, hearing the servant girl relay every small detail about her time with them was almost enough to make her feel as though she hadn't missed out on the day at all.

When they were done she watched Abigail wheel the cart away. She gave the girl a quick wave goodnight before resting her head on her pillow. She let sleep come for her easily that night knowing that even if she was unable to do so, there _was_ someone there to care of her family.


	6. Desperate Times

AN: So, I've been eager to share this chapter with you guys from the moment I wrote it and I am overly anxious to hear what you think about it! The only chapter I'm even more excited about is the next one but it probably won't get uploaded until Friday (still trying to stay a couple chapters ahead.) Anyway, please enjoy!

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Sofia wasn't irritable like she had been when Abigail came knocking on her door the next morning. The girl greeted her with a bright smile and a cart full of food and like they had the night before, they shared the excess amount over conversation.

Abigail told Sofia much about herself; how she had been an orphan until she was seven but had been adopted into a loving family. Abigail's adoptive father soon died, however, and she and two of the other adopted children had little choice but to go to work to help support their large family. Work was scarce in the kingdom and outside of working at the castle, there weren't many other options. Abigail's siblings refused to work for Cedric, out of either pride or fear, but she had been too young and meek to do any of the laborious work available in the village and had little other choice but to come to the castle seeking employment. The new castle steward had given her a job serving under Agnes, the elderly woman who had been in charge of delivering Sofia's meals to her in prison up until about a year prior.

She admitted she had been quite afraid of Cedric at first. He was known to anger easily and it was rumored that if you displeased him, you were as good as dead. She kept her head down for a good many years until Agnes' health began to deteriorate and she became responsible for more and more work around the castle. A run in with the king was inevitable at that point, but Abigail found that he wasn't nearly as frightening as she'd originally believed when they finally crossed paths. It seemed his only concern was that if she was going to be bringing Sofia's meals to her, that she be punctual and kind but always cautious.

Sofia found it amusing to a small degree when Abigail told her Cedric's warning to be cautious actually made her fear Sofia more than the king himself. She realized too that she had earlier misjudged the girl and she felt a bit bad. It was her assumption that everyone in the castle cared little about what Cedric had done to obtain power and that they were all just as morally crooked as he was. Hearing Abigail's story led her to realize that many of these people were likely good, innocent people who needed to work and had little options available to them. From the sound of it, work was extremely hard to come by but people still had families to care for.

Desperate times called for desperate measures.

When it was time for Abigail to leave to go care for the royal family she left Sofia with much to think about. She'd spent so much time begrudging everyone who had replaced the castle staff after the takeover but they were far more innocent in all of this than she realized. Cedric was really the only person she should be mad at. Well, Cedric and his slimy sorcerer cronies anyhow.

At the thought of Cedric she remembered his wand that she had stolen. She fished under her pillow and pulled it out, now examining it more closely.

It was an old wand. If memory served her correctly it was the one he told her he'd made in his first year at Hexley Hall from an oak tree branch. It looked clumsily carved and likely wasn't terribly powerful. He had always just used it as a paperweight. Still, it was all she had and she could make do with it.

Her thoughts drifted to the book she'd taken. It was somewhere along the path Cedric had walked with her from the tower. If she was lucky it might still be wherever she'd dropped it.

Eager to look through it for counter spells that might be able to help her parents and siblings, Sofia climbed from the bed and made her way to the door. A quick survey of the hall showed that it was empty so she slipped out of her room and started swiftly and silently in the direction of Cedric's workshop.

She kept her eyes directed at the floor, searching frantically for the book.

The further along she went the more guards she had to dodge. Cedric had likely told them she was meant to be bedridden and if they spotted her out and about she would have to explain herself to him.

Sneaking was a lot more difficult than just strolling right along but the guards were no more or less bright than the average man. She only hoped that she wasn't too late to find the book and that, if she did find it, she would have time to get back to her room before Abigail came bringing lunch.

Finally, after about thirty minutes of crouching behind sculptures and tiptoeing past guards with their backs turned she spotted the tiny brown book tucked in a corner on the stairs leading up to the other wing of the castle.

She was so close she decided to throw caution to the wind. She hurried over and snatched the book from the step, tucking it into her palm. But when she turned around to retreat back to her room she saw in horror that she had been followed. She found herself standing face to face with the captain of the guard and he was staring down at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Your Majesty." Jonathan said, giving the queen a slight bow. "I believe you're supposed to be resting."

"I-I..." Was all Sofia could stammer out before tucking her hands behind her back. "I was just headed to my room."

"Allow me to escort you then." Jonathan replied with a knowing smile. "I've been following you for a while and you appear to be terribly lost."

Sofia's face reddened at having been caught in a lie. This man had been following her so he knew she must be up to something. She only hoped he wouldn't go running to Cedric. The only way to try and ensure that he didn't was to inspire sympathy from him. "I would appreciate an escort, actually. It's kind of scary around here... all these new faces and I don't know who to trust. But Abigail said you're kind and trustworthy so I suppose-"

"She said that, did she?" Jonathan asked with a chuckle. "Was that before or after you chewed her ass for letting me near your mother without an attendant?"

Sofia's gaze widened and she looked away from the man, mortified that he had heard about her tantrum. "She told you?"

"Well, I don't suppose she meant to." Jonathan said with a shrug. "But she's a short little thing and those stubby legs of hers couldn't keep up with my pace. She kept calling for me to wait for her and when I asked why she told me you said she had to remain by my side at all times when I was transferring the prisoners from their cell to that room. Said you were very adamant about it."

"I-it's nothing personal against you." Sofia said as she began walking back toward her room with Jonathan in toe. "It's just... something happened to me when I was fourteen. Well, it almost happened. Another guard stopped it in time, thankfully. But ever since then it's been a concern at the forefront of my mind."

"Oh yeah! I think I heard about that." Jonathan replied with a nod. "Didn't the king come unhinged on that guy? I heard he slaughtered him right in front of you."

"Yes." Sofia muttered, wincing at the memory. "Yes, he did."

Jonathan glanced down at the queen and cocked an eyebrow in interest. "Is it true he cut off his-"

"Yes." Sofia answered quickly. "As well as both of his hands. And when he passed out from the pain and blood loss Cedric used a spell to wake him back up and keep him awake while he tortured him. When he was done he cut him from groin to sternum and spilled his guts on the floor. He told the man he wanted to see if he was black and hollow inside."

Jonathan let out a low whistle and shook his head. "Damn. Remind me to _never_ get on the king's bad side."

Sofia wrapped her arms around herself and kept her eyes on the ground as they continued to walk along. "He should have just imprisoned the man. There was no need for such violence."

"With all due respect, Your Majesty, I have to disagree." Jonathan replied. "If the king didn't make an example of that man right then he would have only put you in even more danger. A simple stay in prison isn't a deterrent for some men, believe me. Perhaps the king should have chosen a different place where you weren't forced to see something so brutal but as for the actions themselves... they were unfortunately all too necessary."

Sofia shuddered remembering the man's blood-curdling screams. She had cried and cried for Cedric to stop but he never once ceased his brutalization on the man. The entire ordeal had lasted little longer than an hour but for Sofia it would stay with her a lifetime. She wrapped her arms even tighter around herself and glanced up at Jonathan. "Can we talk about literally anything else?"

"Of course, Your Majesty. I didn't mean to upset you with my morbid curiosity. I'm sorry." Jonathan replied before turning his eyes upward as if in thought. "Hmm, let's see. Anything else. Literally anything else. Oh, I know! Let's talk about why you're out of bed and wandering the halls. Or even better, let's talk about that item you found on the steps and-"

Sofia reached up and slapped a hand over Jonathan's mouth. "Be quiet!"

"Ow!" Jonathan drew back from the woman and looked at her in shock. "I was just teasing! Why the theatrics?"

"Just... don't talk about that. Please." Sofia said pleadingly. " _Especially_ to Cedric."

Jonathan eyed the queen up and down before letting out a long, exaggerated groan. "Oh great. Everything always goes to hell when your boss' wife asks you to start keeping secrets from him."

"It isn't like that." Sofia said, glancing around nervously in hopes that nobody was overhearing their conversation. "And can you please keep your voice down? You're being awfully loud."

"I didn't realize we were trying to be sneaky." Jonathan replied with a smile. "Don't want a big lecture from the king, eh? I can't say that I blame you."

"No I don't." Sofia whispered harshly. "And I'd like to avoid letting him know I left my room altogether so if you could just quickly and quietly walk with me back there I would be most grateful."

"Fine, fine. If you want to be boring about it I suppose we can be quick and quiet through the halls. Or..." Jonathan said with a wide grin directed at the queen.

"Or?" Sofia asked, looking up at the man in interest.

"Come this way." Jonathan replied, motioning for Sofia to follow. He turned back the way they had come from and carried on until he reached the door that led to the library. Once inside he turned to the right and approached a bookcase against the wall where he began pulling out books one at a time. "Which one was it? Which... aha!"

Sofia watched as Jonathan grabbed a book and tugged but it didn't budge from its spot. She blinked in curiosity as he pushed the book forward and it slid into the back of the shelf. The bookcase then made a clicking sound and popped open to reveal itself as a hidden door. "The secret passageways!"

"Oh, you know about them?" Jonathan asked in mild surprise.

"Yes, but I was really only familiar with the ones in the other wing of the castle." Sofia said, stepping hesitantly inside. It was dark and she couldn't see much in front of her. "How far does it go?"

"From here if you follow a few twists and turns it goes directly to the hall where your room is located. It lets out behind a giant framed picture of some old fat guy on a horse." Jonathan replied.

Sofia turned back to look at Jonathan and gave him a grateful smile. "Thank you. This will make sneaking in and out of my room a lot easier."

"Hey, I'm still the captain of the guard, you know. You can't tell me shit like that. I'll lose my job if the king finds out." Jonathan said with a laugh. "Or my hands, guts and-"

"I won't tell Cedric if you don't." Sofia said, cutting the man off. "Thank you again, Jonathan. Not just for this but for helping out with my family too. I know it's not your job to play caretaker but you've been a tremendous help. And I'm sorry for thinking the worst of you initially. It's just that after what happened to me I-"

"You don't owe me any explanation, Your Majesty." Jonathan said, waving his hands to dismiss the woman's concerns. "Honestly, you're right to be concerned about every man in this castle. You can't just tell by looking at them which ones are good or bad. But here, I want you to have something."

Sofia watched as Jonathan reached down between his legs and unbuckled his leg sheath which housed a rather long blade. She looked at him in confusion as he handed it over to her. "Why are you giving me this?"

"Protection." Jonathan replied, grinning widely. "If anybody tries to fuck with you, you give them a good swipe with that and they'll leave you alone."

"I-I don't think Cedric will let me have something like this." Sofia said, trying to offer it back to the man.

"I won't tell him if you don't." Jonathan said with a wink. "Just keep it on you at all times. Who knows? It might come in handy one day."

"Thank you." Sofia said, lifting her gown a bit to offer a curtsy. "Have a good rest of your day, Jonathan."

"Be seeing you, Your Majesty." Johnathan said, giving the young woman a farewell wave.

Sofia started off down the dark corridor of the secret passage. She couldn't see anything so she used the wall to follow along as it twisted and turned around rooms and halls she would have otherwise had to sneak past. Finally she found that she could go no further and after a few tries of feeling around in the dark she found a latch that released the painting Jonathan had mentioned.

She peered out into the hall and once she saw that it was clear she shuffled quickly back to her room. She immediately reached for the wand and tapped the tiny book in her hand with it. " _Amplio_." The book grew to about a quarter of its original size. It was still small but fit nicely in her hands. She didn't want to return it to its original size because it would be far too big to hide that way.

She opened the book and looked over the pages. The script was teensy but still legible if she strained to read it. She began to debate whether or not she should make it just a bit bigger when there came a knock on her door. It was her assumption that it was likely Abigail come to check on her so she tucked away the book, wand and dagger with no sense of urgency but when the door opened to reveal her husband standing there her stomach did a somersault of worry.

"You're awake." Cedric said, stepping into the room to smile at his queen. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." Sofia said, turning her gaze from the man. "You don't need to check up on me. That's Abigail's job."

"I'm your husband." Cedric reminded her. "It's very much my job to check up on you."

Sofia cast the man a quick sideways glance and shook her head. "You can pretend to be a loving, doting husband all you want, Cedric. That's the furthest thing from the truth."

Cedric sighed and stepped closer to the bed where his wife sat looking stubbornly away from him. "Sofia, I know this situation is not ideal. I know that you hate me and I suppose you have every right to. But I hope that one day you'll find it in your heart to forgive me."

"I forgave you the _first_ time you tried to take over the kingdom." Sofia said, snapping her gaze back to him. "I told everyone to give you the benefit of the doubt and they did. Then you played us all for fools again."

Cedric shook his head and lowered his gaze. "You may have forgiven me but none of the others did. Of course they pretended like everything was fine on the surface. In front of you it was nothing but kindness and words of praise. But behind closed doors it was all threats. Roland telling me that if it weren't for you he'd have me hanged. Miranda telling me to keep my distance from you or she'd throw me in prison. Even your siblings were vicious. They were never going to forgive what I did and they were never going to forget. I wasn't just going to sit there and take it. Things were worse than they ever were before."

"Then you should have told me." Sofia retorted. "I could have done something."

"You were a child. What could you have done?" Cedric muttered. "They hated me. Nothing you could have said or done would have changed a thing. Now you hate me and I know I deserve your hatred. I just... want this marriage to run smoothly. We are going to be married for the rest of our lives. The least we can do is be civil to one another."

"You want me to be civil to you." Sofia said with a scoff. "Unbelievable."

"Is it not a better alternative than being at each other's throats until the day one of us dies?" Cedric asked. He looked back to Sofia, eyes watching over her features as she remained silent. "What can I do to appease you?"

"I don't think there's anything you could do at this point. You've ruined my life. You've ruined my family's lives. You've ruined just about everything you've ever touched." Sofia narrowed her gaze at Cedric. "And the harder you try to fix this, the more broken its going to become. You should just quit while you're ahead and stop speaking to me altogether."

"I don't want that, Sofia." Cedric said, reaching out to clasp the young woman's hands. "I just want-"

"I don't give a damn what you want." Sofia said angrily, yanking away from his reach. "I hate you."

Cedric tensed and pulled his hands away from his wife to clench them at his sides. "I wish you wouldn't speak to me that way. Like it or not, I _am_ your husband. You should treat me with the respect a wife is supposed to give to her husband."

Sofia let out a snort in response. "Why should I?"

"Why should you?" A small chuckle fell from Cedric's lips and he cocked an eyebrow at the woman. "Do I really even need to say it, Sofia? This is _my_ castle now. I'm in control and what I say goes. I'm trying to be kind to you. I'm trying to make this as pleasant of an experience for you as I possibly can. But each and every time I'm met with your vile resistance it makes me wonder why I even bother. I have what I want from you now and you do me no other favors. Perhaps I should stop coddling you and do what only benefits me instead. Perhaps I should start shipping your family members off one by one to a lunatic asylum until you learn to behave properly."

Sofia froze and stared up at Cedric in terror. She tried to speak but her voice failed her several times before she was able to rasp out a response. "Y-you wouldn't do that."

Cedric leaned over his wife until his face was mere inches from hers and smiled widely at her. "Try me."

She gaped up at him in shock. The prideful part of her wanted to scream at him and call his bluff but the smarter part of her knew he was the type of man to make good on his threats. She was at a loss for what to say or do so she just continued to stare at him in stunned silence.

Cedric watched Sofia for a long while, her distress evident on her face. At least she was no longer slinging insults. He reached down and caught her chin between his thumb and index finger to close her parted lips. "Do close your mouth, darling. It's not very becoming of a queen to gawk." He then leaned in and pressed his lips to the top of her head before pulling away. "I'll be back to check on you this evening right before supper. Try and get some rest."

Sofia watched as Cedric moved toward the door, fire burning so hot within her she wondered if he could feel it radiating from her glare. There was a smug aspect to his gait that only infuriated her more. Her hand shifted under her pillow to grasp at the wand she'd hidden there but Cedric had cleared the exit before she could pull it out and aim.

She let out a fierce roar and grabbed the lamp from the bedside table, slamming it to the ground. There were no words to express the rage she felt inside at the thought of that man and his audacity. All she could think about was that _something_ had to be done. It just had to.

These were desperate times. Desperate measures were called for.


	7. Back to the Wall

AN: I feel like Mr. Burns right now, sitting behind my computer screen drumming my fingers together...

Let me know what you think about this chapter and please enjoy!

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True to his word, Cedric had returned to check up on Sofia shortly before Abigail came bearing food. She sat stock still, staring forward into nothingness as he approached too closely for her comfort and began feeling for a fever. She ignored his words when he spoke to her but they didn't seem to be anything of substance anyhow.

It took everything within her power to simply bite her tongue and pretend like he hadn't delivered the worst possible threat he could muster only a few hours prior.

She was so thankful when Abigail arrived with her dinner. Cedric left the two of them be but she was still on edge and she knew the servant girl probably detected something amiss. If she noticed, however, she didn't say anything to the queen.

Sofia's stomach was doing constant flips and she didn't have much of an appetite as a result but she tried to force herself to eat. She would need every last ounce of strength she could get.

She listened in silence as Abigail once again detailed her day with the royal family. Afterward she allowed the girl to clean and bandage her ankles. Then she bid the servant a goodnight and laid her head on her pillow.

The next few hours were excruciatingly long.

She lay in her bed staring at the sliver of light from under the door, waiting for it to be extinguished. It felt like an eternity before she saw the shadows of feet passing by, dousing each light as they went along.

Sofia sat up in bed and threw back her covers, reaching under her pillows until she found the leg sheath and dagger Jonathan had given to her. She pulled up her gown and strapped the weapon onto her thigh. Once the dagger was securely in place she fished out the wand and held it tightly in her hand. She then slid out of bed and walked swiftly to her bedroom door to look out into the hallway.

There was one guard who appeared to be on patrol but he was far enough away that she could sneak into Cedric's bedroom without detection. She crept across the hall quietly but as she reached for the door she found it locked. It was a simple matter to overcome. She held the wand to the lock and whispered the spell to undo it. " _Effrego_."

The lock clicked, signifying that it was open. She the grabbed the door latch and pushed the door open slowly and silently. She saw with relief that Cedric was already asleep in bed. That was certainly going to be much easier.

She tiptoed up to the bed and stared down at him. There was a strangeness about him as he slept and it took her a moment to realize it was that he looked so peaceful and innocent... but that was the exact opposite of the truth. His breath was shallow and soft as though he didn't have a care in the world. He was the last person in the world who should be sleeping so soundly.

Momentary doubt crawled through her. Perhaps she should wait. Something felt not right about the situation, though she quickly decided it was only her nerves.

She raised the wand and pointed it at him with a trembling hand before lowering it back down. No, not like that. She'd heard too many horrible tales about what killing a person with magic does to the soul.

Her hand fell to the silhouette of the dagger under her gown. It wouldn't take much with the massive blade. One solid stab to the chest and he would as good as dead. Or perhaps she could slit his throat. But no. Both were too messy. Too gruesome for her to stomach and she didn't know if she could bring herself to do it.

What then?

She looked over the room as she tucked the wand away. Her gaze fell on the pillows unused on the other side of the bed. Suffocation was supposed to be a relatively painless death. Pain wasn't her goal anyhow.

Cautiously, she leaned over him to grab an overstuffed pillow. Any one would do but she chose the biggest she could reach.

As she stood over him with the pillow in hand she could hear her heart pounding in her ears, erratic to the point that the beats were nearly indistinguishable from one another. It was deafening. She tried to calm herself with slow, deep breaths but she knew that it was nearly impossible to calm herself in this particular situation. She was about to take a man's life, after all.

She sucked in one last breath and held it as she lowered the pillow over his face. She pressed it down, gently at first before applying more pressure. She felt him tense beneath her. He was awake. She had to wonder what was going through his mind. Was he confused or did he know instantly what was happening?

He began to struggle underneath her but she just leaned down, putting as much weight on the pillow as she could. She let out the breath she'd been holding and tried to suck in another but she quickly found that she couldn't get air. She gasped for a breath again and again but still nothing. No matter what she tried she couldn't fill her lungs with oxygen.

Panic began to set in and her limbs trembled. What little pressure she'd been able to put on Cedric was now falling away as she became lightheaded. Her arms buckled beneath her and she could no longer keep herself upright.

That was when she felt hands on her arms, grabbing her roughly and yanking her down onto the bed. She was rolled onto her back and finally she was able to catch a breath. She looked up to see Cedric snarling at her as they both heaved for air.

"You." Cedric said with a growl, moving to pin his wife to the bed.

"Let me go!" Sofia shouted, trying to squirm out from under Cedric. Her arms were pinned on either side of her head and struggling proved to be futile but she didn't relent.

"You just tried to suffocate me and you want me to let _you_ go?" Cedric retorted with a derisive laugh. "Oh no, _my queen_."

"What are you going to do?" Sofia said, trying to hide the quiver in her voice. "Are you going to kill me?"

Cedric grinned widely and lowered himself down until his chest was pressed against Sofia's. He used his body weight to keep her pinned and moved to grasp her left hand to pull it up and display it to her. "You see this ring on your finger? It binds you to me. But it's more than just a silly little trinket born from years of tradition. This ring is tied to mine with an encroachment charm. So long as we wear these, whatever harm you do to me you shall receive unto yourself. Luckily for you, my dear, the enchantment works both ways. Killing you would only mean killing myself so you don't need to worry your pretty little head about that at all." He leaned down and pressed his mouth to her ear to whisper to her softly. "Though, I should warn you that I have an _extremely_ high threshold for pain."

Sofia whimpered and did her best to draw away from Cedric but it was hard given that she was laying underneath him on the bed. But much to her surprise, she felt him pushing off of her. She sat up and backed against the headboard, half afraid to move despite wanting nothing more than to bolt from the room. Cedric was sitting back on his knees now, watching her with a wide smile. He began to chuckle and that only terrified her more. "Why are you laughing?"

"You look like a frightened little mouse." Cedric answered. "Not at all the fierce woman who nearly killed me a moment ago. Did I strike a nerve?"

"I've seen what you do to people who anger you." Sofia muttered.

Cedric smiled and reached out to cup his wife's cheek. "You should know I could never _really_ hurt you, Sofia."

The queen shuttered and cringed at the man's touch. Despite the seeming sweetness of his words there was clear venom in his voice. "Why is it I don't believe you?"

Cedric continued to grin at Sofia, raising his hand to stroke through her hair. "Oh, my dear. You need to stop worrying about what I'm going to do to _you_ and start worrying about what I'm going to do to your _family_. After all, you have a very big decision to make."

Sofia's eyes widened and she shook her head. "Cedric, please don't-"

"I wonder who you'll choose for me to send away." Cedric said, feigning deep thought. "I know how protective you are of your mother and sister. Sending them to an asylum would put them in real danger so I assume you'll choose between your father and brother. Roland isn't getting any younger, you know. He might not survive as long there as your brother could."

"Cedric, no!" Sofia cried out, reaching to grip the man's nightshirt. "Please. Please don't do this!"

"I warned you, Sofia." Cedric said, the amusement now gone from his face. "I told you what would happen if you disrespected me. Now you must reap the consequences of your actions. Considering you tried to murder me I would say you're getting off fairly easy, wouldn't you? Now leave my room before I have second thoughts about your punishment. I just might decide to make it harsher."

Sofia climbed quickly from the bed. Her entire body was rigid with fear. She started toward the door, urging her legs to move with every step she took.

"Oh, Sofia darling..." Cedric called out to his wife.

Sofia froze and turned slowly to face Cedric, barely able to speak as she answered him. "Yes?"

"I _will_ need a decision as to who goes by morning. I really don't think you want me to choose for you. You won't like who I pick." Cedric replied with a devilish smile. "Pleasant dreams, sweetheart."

Sofia felt her skin prickle at the man's false niceties. She found she couldn't get out of the room fast enough. Tears burst forth from her eyes as she exited Cedric's bedroom but she wasn't about to just return to her own room like the obedient little wife he wanted her to be.

She kicked her feet into a sprint and tore through the halls to the lower level of the castle. She didn't know where Cedric had her family locked away but she was going to find out.

She continued past guards, not at all caring if they saw her or tried to stop her. She wasn't going to let anything stand in her way. She continued her search, hurrying along until she collided with someone and fell to the floor. Her eyes flew up to see Jonathan standing over her looking confused.

"Your Majesty? What are you doing out of bed so late?" Jonathan asked, reaching down to help the woman up. "And why aren't you using the passages?"

"Jonathan!" Sofia gulped for air and grasped the captain of the guard's arms tightly. "I need you to take me to my family!"

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. You know I can't do that." Jonathan replied as he forced a smile. "But I just came back from checking on them and everything is fine. I assure you."

"You're coming back from checking on them?" Sofia asked, glancing behind the man. "So they're that way?"

Jonathan reached out and clasped the queen's hand as she tried to bolt past him. "Your Majesty, what's going on?"

"Nothing." Sofia replied. "Forget you saw me, Jonathan. For your sake and mine."

"Wait a second." Jonathan pulled the woman back and looked her over. "Did something happen? You know, it's my job to protect you as well as the king. If there was a quarrel-"

"Jonathan, you can't help me with this. You're better off not getting involved." Sofia said, trying to tug her hand from the man. "Please just let me go."

"I'm not afraid of the king, Your Majesty." Jonathan replied.

"You should be." Sofia whispered before producing the wand to point at the captain of the guard. "I'm sorry, Jonathan. This is for your own good. _Constrictum._ "

Jonathan looked at the queen in disbelief as she pulled from his grasp. He tried to follow but he found he was stuck in his spot. "Y-Your Majesty, wait! Don't leave me like this!"

"It will wear off in a couple of hours." Sofia said before turning away from Jonathan. She started off in the direction he had come from searching frantically for a door that might lead to a dungeon. Each door she peered into seemed to serve some other purpose than the room she was looking for.

Desperation began to creep in as she realized that guards would come looking for her if Jonathan was found. She felt like she was running out of time.

Finally, as she rounded a corner down a dark corridor she saw a massive wooden door at the end. It was heavily padlocked but that was no trouble considering she still had the wand.

She approached the door quickly and pointed the wand to the first lock and parted her lips to speak but she was silenced with a hand over her mouth. Before she could fathom what was happening the hand was replaced with a gag and a sack was thrown over her head.

She tried to scream but it was no use as she felt arms wrapping around her to drag her away.

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AN #2: As with chapter 4, this is one of the rare occurrences in this story where the lyrics from the song for which the chapter is titled apply to what is going on in the story. If you would like to look up lyrics/listen to the song it is "Back to the Wall" by Divinyls


	8. Viva La Resistance

AN: Thank you as always for the reviews! I don't want to leave you too terribly long with a cliff hanger so here you go! Please enjoy and let me know what you think!

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She could hear whispers around her, most of the voices sounding feminine outside of one or two hushed male contributors. Her hands were now bound to the chair she'd been seated in and her legs were tied together. The sack was still in place as well as the gag. She could do nothing more than sit there and listen. The words were indistinguishable outside of a handful she'd been able to make out; words like _betrayal_ and _traitor_ mixed in with a few others.

Finally, after what felt like hours she heard a voice speak at full volume and it was addressing her. It was a woman's voice.

"Queen Sofia, I'm sure you must be very curious about where you are right now." The woman spoke. "Rest assured, we intend to make you fully aware. But first we have a question for you. Are you loyal to your husband?"

 _No!_ she wanted to scream, but the gag on her mouth prevented her from doing so. She shook her head violently instead. That response seemed to be all that was required. The sack was quickly torn from her head and the gag cut off. She gasped for air and stared up at the face of the woman looming over her. She recognized her immediately despite her inconspicuous attire, though she would have likely known her anywhere. "Lucinda!"

"You remember me. I'm flattered." Lucinda said, but there was no kindness in her voice.

"Of course I remember you! We're friends! At least, I thought we were. Why am I here?" Sofia asked, now taking a moment to look around at the small cottage in which she found herself. There were more familiar faces, Lucinda's witch friends along with Jade and Ruby. "Why am I tied up?"

"Because we're not sure that we can trust you." Lucinda answered. "You married that murderous bastard and threw a wrench in our entire operation."

Sofia's brow crinkled in confusion as she returned her gaze to Lucinda. "Operation? What operation?"

"We had the kingdom in an uproar. They were ready to storm the castle until you gave that son of a bitch legitimacy to the throne. Now we're fucked." Lucinda said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I-I know it was a mistake." Sofia said, lowering her head in shame. "I'm sorry, I didn't consider what the repercussions might be."

"You should have thought about that before you decided to become his bed warmer." Lucinda said starkly.

"It isn't like that." Sofia muttered.

"Then what is it like?" Lucinda snapped. "Because we've been out here busting our asses since day one to take that fucker down and you just bowed to his whim and gave him everything he could ever need."

"He has my family." Sofia whispered, fighting the tears that wanted to rush to her face. "Nobody was caring for them. They were in such an awful state, I had to do something! I made a choice and it was probably the wrong one but at the time it seemed right."

Lucinda cocked an eyebrow at Sofia and softened her stance. "So you have absolutely no loyalty to him at all?"

"I hate that man." Sofia said, turning a sorrowful gaze up at her former friend. "I hate him and I want him dead."

Lucinda smiled at the queen's words and placed her hands on her hips. "Well, that's convenient because that's what we want as well."

Sofia watched as Lucinda motioned to someone behind her. She heard footsteps approaching and saw a hooded figure come into her line of sight. He knelt down in front of her and cut away the rope binding her legs before freeing her wrists. When he then turned his gaze to her she could see just enough under the hood to realize she recognized his features, aged as they were. "Baileywick!"

Baileywick let out a soft laugh as the queen threw her arms around him. He stood with her and hugged her tightly. "I'm so glad you're okay, Sofia."

"I thought you might be imprisoned or worse!" Sofia cried out, hugging the man who had been such an important figure in her life. "I'm so relieved! Did everyone else make it out okay? Is Violet-"

"Violet died, Sofia." Baileywick said softly, grasping the young woman's hands. "She put herself between you and Cedric that day. Suffice to say, she tried her best. Unfortunately, it just wasn't enough."

"Oh, Violet." Sofia covered her mouth with her hands, new tears springing up in her eyes.

"He took someone from all of us." Lucinda said angrily. "And there will be hell to pay for it."

Sofia looked around the room at the cluster of faces. She knew that all of Lucinda's witch friends had likely lost their parents but seeing Jade and Ruby there made her wonder what Cedric could have done to them. She turned to her old friends and looked at them sadly. "Who did he take from you?"

"He took _you_ , Sofia." Jade said with a sad smile. "And for so long we had no idea what happened to you, whether you were alive or dead. It was awful."

"We're just so glad you're okay!" Ruby added happily as she reached out and placed her hand on the woman's shoulder. "Even if you did marry that monster and ruin our whole resistance movement."

"I'm so sorry." Sofia said, sighing heavily. "I just wanted to help my family. I had no idea any of this was happening out here."

"Well, you can make up for the damage you caused." Lucinda interjected. "You want Cedric dead and so do we. With Baileywick's help we can get into the castle. He showed us all the hidden passages in and out of the place. Unfortunately we can't get to Cedric without alerting the guards. There's too many of them and no direct path to his room using the passages. Now, we may not be able to reach him but _you_ can."

"I hope you're not suggesting that Sofia do the deed herself." Baileywick said with crossed arms. "That's asking too much."

"No, it isn't." Lucinda replied, mimicking the man's stance. "She's a grown woman and she's perfectly capable of killing him. He has it coming for what he's done to all of us, _especially_ to her."

"That may be." Baileywick said with a sigh. "But she-"

"I can't kill him." Sofia said, stepping between the two before their disagreement could become an all out argument. "And it's not because I don't want to or because I'm afraid to. I can't kill Cedric without killing myself as a result."

Baileywick's brow furrowed at the queen's words. "What do you mean?"

"An encroachment charm!" Lucinda said with a gasp, reaching out to snatch up Sofia's hand to examine her ring. She took a deep whiff of the magic surrounding the ring and curled her nose in disgust. "I don't know how I didn't notice it before. It's a particularly nasty one too."

"What's an encroachment charm?" Jade asked, moving to stand by Sofia to peer down at the ring.

"It's an awful little tool sorcerers have been using for centuries to impose their will on others." Lucinda answered. "There are several types but this particular one resides in the realm of physical touch. It makes it so that whatever physical boundaries you cross against Cedric, the same is done to you."

"I tried suffocating him." Sofia uttered cautiously. "And I'm the one who stopped breathing."

"Suffocation is too good for him." Lucinda said bitterly. "Lucky for you, there's a way to break the enchantment. I'm sure I have something in one of my mother's books."

"Can it be done quickly?" Sofia said hopefully. "I have to get back to the castle and stop him before he sends one of my family members to a lunatic asylum."

"What happened, exactly?" Baileywick asked in concern. "For the longest time we assumed you were all dead. When word began to seep out of the castle that you were all still alive I started looking for you but I could never find any sign in the old prisons. During my searches I heard whispers from the guards that the others had somehow slipped into madness."

"I wouldn't call it madness." Sofia replied. "Cedric used a spell to try to make them forget everything. But instead of just getting rid of their memories it wiped the slate clean. There's nothing there, not even a glimmer of personality. They're all in a state of perpetual stupor. Earlier today he threatened me that if I didn't start behaving like a wife he would ship my family off one by one to a lunatic asylum until I learned to treat him with the respect he feels he deserves. I-I couldn't allow that to become a possibility so I decided to just kill him but..."

"But the encroachment charm made it impossible." Lucinda finished. "Now how he's going to make good on his threat."

"If I don't get back there by morning he's choosing someone to send away." Sofia looked to Lucinda pleadingly. "You _have_ to tell me how to break it."

"I'm sorry, Sofia. There's no way I'll be able to get it in time." Lucinda replied. "Cedric issued a literal witch hunt after the uprising. Every last one of us had to go into hiding and live our lives like _regular_ people. Any literature pertaining to the craft had to be sealed away. It's in an extremely hard to get to place and it will take me at least until morning to get everything in order. You likely won't have time to complete the ritual before he sends someone off."

"But what if we staged an interception?" Baileywick asked, raising his hand to his chin in thought. "We could ambush the carriage on the way to the asylum and steal away whoever is inside."

"We could definitely do that!" Ruby said with a wide smile. "There's enough of us. We could take the carriage down no problem."

"That would definitely buy us some time." Lucinda said in thought as she turned her gaze to the queen. "Who's the lightest member of your family?"

"Amber, I think." Sofia said. "But... that's so risky. What if you can't intercept the carriage?"

"Do you have any other option? He's going to send someone anyhow. You may as well suggest he send the easiest to transfer. We can send out two teams to intercept the carriage and whisk her away." Lucinda said with a smirk. "Those bastards won't know what hit them! In the meantime, I'll get the ritual written down and have Baileywick bring it to you at noon tomorrow."

"I'll show you where we'll meet when I take you back to the castle tonight." Baileywick added.

"Okay." Sofia nodded, more to herself than the others. "Okay, I'll tell him to send Amber. As long as you get me that ritual soon. I don't know how much longer I can stand being around that man before I lose my mind."

"Don't worry. You'll have it in your hands by tomorrow and you'll be able to free yourself so that you can get the revenge you deserve on that bastard. If you pull this off, Sofia, you'll be a hero." Lucinda grinned at the queen and reached out to clasp her hand. "Welcome to the resistance."


	9. Under Pressure

AN: I'm getting a little behind on my writing but I didn't want to leave you waiting too terribly long so here's an update for you.

Things are definitely going to get... _interesting_ from here on. I hope you enjoy! And of course, thank you all for your reviews! They bring a little bit of light to what is usually an otherwise mundane day at work.

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When Sofia awoke to a knock on her door she gave a silent prayer that it was just Abigail with breakfast. She could never be so lucky. She rolled her head in the direction of the door in enough time to see Cedric entering the room with a smile on his face. He was in a terribly upbeat mood for someone who had almost been murdered the night before but Sofia knew it was only because he was going to get retribution for it.

She kept her eyes averted as he strolled up to her and took a seat on the edge of her bed. He leaned in close and reached up to tap her on the nose.

"Good morning, my beautiful queen." Cedric said with a smile. "How did you sleep? Well, I hope."

"I didn't sleep well at all." Sofia rasped out, refusing to meet his gaze.

"You didn't? My poor little dear." Cedric moved his hand to brush against her cheek softly. "Were you up all night making your decision?"

"Yes." Sofia whispered, tears in her eyes.

"And did you come to a conclusion?" Cedric asked.

"Yes." Sofia said, finally turning to face him. "Amber."

Cedric cocked an eyebrow at Sofia in interest. "I'm surprised. I thought for sure you would have picked either your brother or father to go first."

"Amber was the cruelest to me." Sofia forced out, finding it hard to speak an ill word about any of her family members. "It came down to choosing who had been the least kind to me. Amber wasn't always as nice as she could have been."

"Yes, I suppose she did have her moments." Cedric muttered. "Are you sure she's who you want to send? There will be no turning back after this point."

Sofia looked away from Cedric and sucked in a deep breath. "You're going to send someone anyhow. It may as well be Amber."

Cedric looked over Sofia in silence for a moment before caressing her cheek once more. "Hopefully this is the last time you'll have to make this decision. You know I don't want to have to do this to you, Sofia. You leave me with no other choice."

"Don't insult me by acting like you don't have a choice." Sofia whispered. "You're the king. You can do whatever you want."

"That's right. I can." Cedric replied. "And unfortunately for you that means I can resort to these drastic measures to prove my point to you. Do you think I like seeing you hurt, Sofia? It's the last thing I want. But I can't be soft to you. It will be my undoing if I allow you to walk all over me. Let today serve as an example of how cruel I can be when you choose to cross me. Do everything in your power not to cross me again and things will go swimmingly around here for the both of us."

Sofia folded her arms over her chest, nearly choking on her next words. "As you wish."

"That's my girl." Cedric said, leaning down to kiss the top of Sofia's head. "I'll give you five minutes with her."

Sofia's gaze snapped up to Cedric as he stood and started out of her room. "What?"

"I can't very well send her off without giving you a chance to say goodbye." Cedric replied. "Five minutes should be ample time."

"When?" Sofia asked as she swung her feet over the edge of the bed, ready to bolt from the room.

"Whenever you're ready." Cedric answered. "I'll have your chambermaid bring her to the downstairs room. She'll be waiting for you."

"Okay." Sofia nodded and stood, hurrying to her closet as Cedric exited. She grabbed the nearest gown in her reach and pulled it on. Her hair was a mess but she didn't want to bother with it so she quickly fastened it into a bun with an ornate hair clip and started out of her room. She was taken off guard when she saw Cedric standing there, seemingly waiting for her. She looked up at him in disbelief as he held his arm out to her. "What are you doing?"

"I'll escort you." Cedric replied. "You're really not to be out of bed, as per the doctor's orders. I can't have you collapsing again."

Sofia looked Cedric up and down. Allowing him to lead her along was not something she even wanted to consider but she also knew that things would go much more smoothly if she just pretended that the idea didn't make her flesh crawl. She bit her bottom lip and looked away from him as she draped her arm over his. "Let's go."

"Splendid." Cedric said with a smile. He started his feet in motion, leading Sofia along down the hall. "I'm sure your strength must be dwindling after last night. You haven't given yourself proper time to recover."

"I'll live." Sofia replied dryly.

Cedric chuckled at his wife's words. "Yes, I know you'll live. The point I'm trying to make is that I feel I should keep a closer eye on your recovery. Check on you more frequently throughout the day."

"You don't need to do that." Sofia said quickly. "That's what servants are for."

"I know that you don't want me to." Cedric replied. "But I want to. Your health and well being are the most important things to me, Sofia. I just want to ensure that you make a full recovery."

"If I die... will you die too?" Sofia asked gesturing to the ring on her finger. "Is that how this charm works?"

"No." Cedric shook his head and smiled at the woman. "It is merely a contract between the two of us. Whatever one of us does unto the other, the gesture is returned. If I had allowed you to slap me the other night you would have felt the sting just as strongly as I would have. And last night when you tried to suffocate me-"

"I started suffocating too." Sofia said with a nod. "But if I were to die from something else you wouldn't be affected... and vice versa."

"Precisely." Cedric replied. "So you can rest assured, my concern for your health is genuine and not at all tied to my own. Though I would be lying if I said there wasn't some amount of self interest mixed in there."

Sofia looked at Cedric in confusion. "Self interest? If my health has no bearing on yours what self interest could you possibly have?"

Cedric snickered and reached up to pat Sofia's hand gently. "You're my wife. That's all the self interest that I need."

Sofia returned her gaze forward, deciding to end the conversation by not speaking another word. She couldn't tell if Cedric was being disingenuous or if he meant his words but they made her uncomfortable to think about either way. She let him escort her the rest of the way down the stairs to the room where she was allowed to see her family.

There, sitting in a chair was Amber. She still had that far away look in her eyes as though she was somewhere else entirely.

Sofia approached her sister and knelt before her, reaching up to clasp her hands. Cedric was watching, listening to her every word so she did her best to be quiet. She didn't want him hearing what should have been private. "Amber, I know you might not be able to hear me and if you can hear me you might not be able to understand me. But you should know that I love you and I'm so sorry you have to be sent away. It's all my fault and there's nothing I can do to make up for it. Wh-when I think about you being all alone away from us it breaks my heart. I don't want that and I wish I could take it all back! I'm so, _so_ sorry, Amber!"

She reached up and threw her arms around her sister, pulling her into a tight embrace. She debated on whether or not to whisper to her that someone would be coming for her. Cedric was only mere feet away and she didn't want him to overhear. Not to mention that there was still a chance that the resistance would be unsuccessful in saving her and she didn't want to give Amber false hope. She chose instead to just hold the woman and cry silently against her.

When the five minutes was up she felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. She looked up to see Cedric staring down at her with a seemingly sympathetic expression in his face.

"Time to go." Cedric said softly.

Sofia stood and wiped her eyes on the back of her arm as she watched Jonathan and Abigail approach. The captain of the guard avoided eye contact with her as he scooped Amber up from her seat and replaced her in the wheelchair for transfer. Abigail was looking at her apologetically but Sofia could tell it was hard for the chambermaid to meet her gaze.

She watched as they both turned and walked her sister out of the room before she crumpled to the ground in sobs. Even if Lucinda's group was successful, the idea of her sister being taken from the castle was unbearable. Every time she wiped her face of tears they were only replaced with more. She felt hands on her again. She knew it was Cedric and it felt like he was trying to comfort her. His touch was anything but comforting, though she was afraid what repercussions there might be if she pulled away. Would he send another family member away? It was a risk she wasn't willing to take so she gritted her teeth and dealt with it.

After a moment she was able to collect herself, if only to get him to stop trying to ease her pain. She stood and wiped her tears away one last time. "I think I'm ready to go back to my room now."

"I'll walk you." Cedric said, taking the young woman's arm in his.

Sofia did her best to remain stone-faced as Cedric escorted her back to her room. The last thing she wanted was to cry and have him attempt to comfort her once again.

She waited until long after he returned her to her room and left her seated on her bed before she allowed the tears to fall again. She didn't get but a moment to cry, however, before she heard another knock at her door. This time luck favored her. It was Abigail with breakfast.

"How are you feeling, Your Majesty?" Abigail asked, though by the woman's grief-stricken face it was obvious.

Sofia turned to the chambermaid and tried to stifle a cry but she was unsuccessful. "M-my sister."

"I'm sorry I had to be involved, Your Majesty, but the king insisted I be there for your sake. He thought it might be a comfort to you to have someone familiar there." Abigail said, approaching the queen cautiously.

"I'm not angry with you, Abigail." Sofia said quietly. "I'm angry with Cedric."

"I-I know it's not my place to speak on matters between you and the king but... whatever his intentions for doing this may be, I'm sure they'll be revealed eventually." Abigail offered meekly. "The king is going to see to it that your sister is very well taken care of. I know his actions may seem cruel but perhaps not everything is as it seems."

"Please don't defend him to me, Abigail." Sofia replied.

"Of course, Your Majesty. I was speaking out of turn. Forgive me." Abigail curtsied to the queen before presenting her food to her. "I know you probably don't feel much like eating but you should try to eat something. You need to rebuild your strength. I've heard magic use can really take a lot from a person."

Sofia's eyes widened as she looked to the servant girl in shock. "What do you mean?"

Abigail glanced nervously behind her before stepping close to whisper to Sofia. "Lord Jonathan told me you tried to escape last night. He said you froze him in his tracks with some spell. I'm not going to ask where you got the wand and I'm not going to tell the king. Lord Jonathan said he won't tell either. But you must be cautious, Your Majesty. If the king finds out-"

"He won't." Sofia assured Abigail. "And I thank you for your silence on the matter. You don't need to worry. I've got everything under control."

"I know how you feel about the king, Your Majesty." Abigail said softly. "But I hope that you choose to stay around. I've come to really enjoy your company."

Sofia smiled up at the girl warmly. "I really enjoy your company as well."

Abigail returned the queen's smile and curtsied once more. "I should be about my day. I'll be back around noon with your lunch."

Sofia's ears perked at the girl's words. Noon. She was to meet Baileywick at noon. "Do you think you can come ten minutes before noon?" She said before realizing her request seemed random and odd. "I plan to take a nap, you see, but it's terribly unladylike to sleep well until noon."

Abigail gave the queen a small laugh and shrugged. "I think it would be forgiven in your current state, but I'll do as you request. Ten minutes before noon."

"Thank you, Abigail." Sofia said, waving the chambermaid off. Once the girl was gone she pulled out the book she'd stolen from Cedric's workshop and began searching it over for a cure for her family. She tried to stay positive, telling herself to have faith that the resistance would be able to procure Amber and take her to safety.

Hours passed as she sat reading the book but there didn't seem to be much for her in the pages.

Abigail returned with lunch at precisely ten minutes before noon. It gave Sofia just enough time to dismiss the girl and sneak from her room down the hall to the secret passage. She followed along the passageway to the exit at the library. From there it was a matter of sneaking down the stairs undetected. There were a handful of guards about but they were easy enough to slip past.

She made her way along the same path she had the night before until she came to the door sealed with padlocks. It was a decoy, as Bailewick had informed her. It had been the first place he'd checked for the royal family and he continuously checked it from time to time but there was little down in the basement room other than old family portraits.

This was where she was to wait for him.

She was anxious. She had to wonder if Lucinda had found a way to break Cedric's encroachment charm or if she was still searching. She began pacing, wondering if she would get caught there before Baileywick could show up. But just before real panic could set in she heard the sound of metal sliding against brick and she turned to see the former castle steward appear from behind a false wall.

"Sorry I'm a bit late." Baileywick said in a hushed tone. "There are a lot more guards on the grounds today."

"Do you have the instructions for the ritual to break the charm?" Sofia asked hopefully.

"Yes." Baileywick reached into his cloak and pulled out a small square of parchment. "Lucinda said these directions must be followed exactly."

Sofia read over the parchment, her brow furrowing at the first item on the list. "Bestow a gift most desired? What does that mean?"

"According to Lucinda, these charms were often only broken by the sorcerer or sorceress who cast them. The charm's purpose is to impose the will of the one who cast it upon you as a way to get what they want. To break it, you must first gift the one who cast the charm the thing they desire most." Baileywick explained.

"Blood, willingly spilled?" Sofia asked, continuing down the list.

"A fail safe for the charm. To ensure that the only person who could break it is the one who cast it, the blood must be given willingly." Baileywick replied.

"Fur of the wolf that bit you?" Sofia's brow furrowed as she read over the third item on the paper. "Fur of the wolf? What wolf?"

"It's a pejorative term for the one who cast the charm." Baileywick said with a snicker. "These instructions came from the lexicon of a witch, remember?"

"Right. So, fur of the wolf must mean his hair." Sofia said in thought. "The hair should be easy enough but blood willingly spilled and the gift he desires most... how am I going to get those things?"

"I don't know." Baileywick replied. "But Sofia, you don't have to do this. It's dangerous and I don't want to see you get hurt. This encroachment charm may be preventing you from taking Cedric's life but it's also preventing him from taking yours. If you break it and he finds out-"

"Baileywick, I'm not afraid to die. At least if I die at his hands I die fighting for something I believe in. For now there's no other way. I have to do this." Sofia said, a look of determination coming to her face. "More. I _want_ to do this."

Baileywick let out a sigh and looked over the young woman in concern. "Alright. I'll meet you back here in three days to check your progress. I have to get back now."

Sofia lurched forward and pulled the man into a tight hug. "Please take care of Amber for me until I can get this done."

"Of course." Baileywick said with a smile as he returned the queen's embrace. He pulled away and clasped her hands tightly in case it was his last chance to do so. "Please be careful, Sofia. We don't want to lose you again."

"I'll try my best." Sofia cast her old friend one last glance before she hurried off back to the library.

From there she returned through the secret passage and down the hall to her room but when she opened her door she was taken aback to see Cedric seated on her bed staring at her.

"I came to check on you." Cedric said, looking his wife over curiously.

"I-I just needed some fresh air." Sofia muttered. "I can't stand being cooped up in this room. After all those years in prison I..." She trailed off as Cedric held up the book and wand she had stolen from his workshop.

"I see you were doing some light reading." Cedric said, turning his eyes over the book. "I'd ask how you managed to smuggle these out of my workshop without me knowing but you're a resourceful young woman. I can only imagine."

"I just wanted to find a cure for my family." Sofia said quietly.

Cedric stood and stepped up to his wife who was now avoiding his gaze like her life depended on it. He reached up and cupped her cheek, forcing her to look up at him. "I'm not angry with you."

"Y-you're not?" Was all Sofia could manage.

"I wish you had just asked me to borrow the book rather than steal it, but given the circumstances I understand why you wouldn't have considered that an option." Cedric replied. "You're more than welcome to keep it as long as you like. The wand on the other hand will need to be confiscated. You understand."

"Yes, I understand." Sofia said with a small nod.

Cedric smiled down at the woman, rubbing his thumb gently across her cheek bone. There was silence and she seemed tense. He could tell she was waiting for the other shoe to drop. He wanted to alleviate her concerns. "I know it's torturous for you to remain in bed all day but it's only until you fully recover. If you'd like I could have your chambermaid wheel you about the castle during the day."

"No. Abigail has enough on her plate right now caring for my family. I want that to be her main focus." Sofia replied.

"As you wish, my queen." Cedric said, lowering his hand to his side. He stared at her for a long while, her eyes anywhere but on him. He didn't know what to say to her to alleviate the tension between them. It was possible that he would never be able to say or do anything to placate her. He let out an uncomfortable huff of air and turned his gaze to the exit. "I suppose I should leave you to your reading."

Relief washed over Sofia as Cedric made a motion to take his leave. She wanted time to look over Lucinda's ritual more thoroughly and she knew she couldn't do it in his presence. But at the thought of the parchment tucked away on her person she whirled around to stop her husband from leaving. "I have a question for you."

Cedric's heart leapt at Sofia's voice speaking to him. He turned to face her, a bit apprehensive at the idea of what she might ask. "Yes?"

"I was just wondering..." Sofia started, trying to think how to word her question so that Cedric wouldn't be suspicious. "You have the crown, the amulet, the entire kingdom at your disposal. You have all these things but I get the sense that it still isn't enough for you. It makes me wonder what more you could possibly want. For the man who has everything, what is your greatest desire?"

Cedric looked Sofia over. Her gaze was burrowing into his and he had to wonder why she was asking such a question. It was a question for which he knew the answer but to say it out loud was a rather difficult thing. He didn't want to discourage her from initiating such conversations with him, however, so he chose to answer her honestly. "It's you, Sofia."

Sofia's brow crinkled and she stared hard at the man. "But you already have me."

"No I don't." Cedric smiled and shook his head. "You're my wife but that doesn't make you mine. I want you in every sense of the word. I want you to give yourself over to me wholly. _That_ is my greatest desire."

Sofia blinked at Cedric, his meaning vague though she could guess well enough what he was getting at. An ill feeling crawled over her at the idea of giving herself to him and she had to avert her gaze. She heard her door open and close and when she next looked up she saw that he was gone from the room.

She pulled out the parchment from where she'd tucked it and read over the first item again and again.

" _Bestow a gift most desired."_

A shiver ran down her spine and she brushed the paper to the side. It didn't seem like things could get much worse, of course she knew it was foolish to believe that.

Things could always, _always_ get worse.


	10. Sleeping With the Enemy

AN: I'm still a _bit_ behind where I need to be but I wanted to give you an update for this weekend. I don't know if I'll be able to offer you a Wednesday morning update next week but I'll certainly try my hardest.

I'm very anxious to know what you all think about this chapter. Let me know and please enjoy!

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Sofia was pacing the floor of her bedroom, wringing her hands as she moved to and fro. The parchment Baileywick had given her sat on the edge of the bed, practically staring at her as though it was growing impatient with her. It wasn't of course. It was only a piece of paper with some words written on it but those words burned through her mind like a wildfire tearing through a dry, brittle forest.

She had been sick over it a majority of the day, lost somewhere between denial and acceptance.

She knew what she had to do. Whether or not she could stomach it was another matter entirely. Just the thought was enough to make her feel violently ill, though she kept her composure. She couldn't afford to fall apart so easily in the face of what lie ahead of her.

Her eyes darted to Lucinda's instructions once more, hoping that perhaps she had missed something there or read something wrong. But no, there was no missing information and nothing she'd misread. It was all plain and simple right in front of her.

She was only procrastinating at this point.

It was selfish of her, she reasoned. There were people counting on her. The entire kingdom was counting on her and there she was sitting in the comfort of her room bellyaching over an act that, detestable as it may be to think about, was relatively harmless. There was no skirting around it. She had to do it for her people, for her friends and for her family.

She pulled up her nightgown and removed the dagger that Jonathan had given her. She was loath to be without it. Merely having it on her person gave her a sense of security that she desperately wanted to cling to but if Cedric knew she had it he'd confiscate it just like the wand. She tucked the weapon under her mattress and let out a heavy sigh.

It was now or never.

She started out of her room and saw immediately that Jonathan was standing outside Cedric's door. She approached cautiously, the man still avoiding her gaze. "Good evening, Jonathan."

"Good evening, Your Majesty." Jonathan muttered.

Sofia started past the man but as she did so, he moved to block her. She blinked up at him in surprise and took a step back. "Why are you stopping me?"

"The king asked me to stand guard." Jonathan replied. "Apparently there was an attempt made on his life last night."

Sofia crossed her arms over her chest and looked away from the captain of the guard, his tone accusatory. "Yes. Well, that's all the more reason I should be with him."

Jonathan looked the queen up and down skeptically. "Yours is a marriage of convenience. And from what I've been able to see, it hasn't been very convenient for _you_. Now, I don't know how stupid you think I am, Your Majesty, but I can assure you I'm not nearly as dumb as I look."

Sofia huffed and turned her gaze back to Jonathan. "I don't want to be snippy with you, Jonathan. But I _am_ the queen and if I want to see my husband I should be allowed to do so."

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty." Jonathan replied. "I'm under strict orders not to let _anyone_ through this door." He paused, glancing up and down the hall before leaning closer to speak quietly to the queen. "Perhaps you'd like to take a stroll through the hall and look at some of the artwork instead. There's a particularly interesting painting of a large breasted woman in a red ballgown that you might find to your liking."

Sofia looked up at Jonathan with wide eyes. She couldn't be certain, but she thought he might be discreetly informing her of different way to enter Cedric's bedroom. She turned from him without another word and started down the hall. Her eyes scanned the many decorative pieces lining the walls until she came upon the painting Jonathan spoke of.

She glanced down the hall at him but his back was turned to her. She returned her gaze to the picture and reached up, feeling along the frame until she found a trigger that released the door to yet another secret passageway. There was a bit of apprehension as she stepped forward into the passage but she tried not to hesitate. Jonathan had given her this moment and she wasn't about to squander it.

She walked along in the dark, feeling her way against the wall. The passage seemed to be at a small decline, the gradient leading her slowly down under the floor level where she'd previously been standing. She eventually encountered a set of stairs that led upward and she climbed them carefully in the dark until her head bumped the covering above. She was under a trap door, she realized. She pushed up slowly and the covering gave way, leading her up into Cedric's closet space.

The urgency to be quiet was strong despite that she hadn't really meant to sneak up on the man. She lowered the trap door back down as silently as possible before moving to peer out of the closet at Cedric. He sat on his bed, papers strewn about as he thumbed through a book in search of something that appeared to be important to him.

She watched him in silence for a moment, debating on whether or not to turn back and retreat the same way she had come. That wasn't an option, however. She had everyone counting on her and she wasn't about to let them down. She steeled herself with a few deep breaths before taking a step into his room.

Cedric froze at the sound of a light footstep entering his earshot. He turned his head in the direction he'd heard it to see his wife exiting the closet. "How long have you been in there?"

"Not long." Sofia mumbled. "What are you doing?"

"Work." Cedric answered, grabbing up the pages to stack them and place them away. He pulled his reading glasses from his face and placed them on the book in his lap.

"I didn't know you needed glasses to read." Sofia said quietly in an effort to keep conversation flowing.

"Well, there are _some_ things even magic can't fix, not without a price anyhow." Cedric replied. "What are you doing here, Sofia? Come to try and kill me again?"

"No, I..." Sofia trailed off and forced herself forward despite that she wanted to run from the room and never look back. "I've been thinking about what you said about our marriage. About being civil to each other for the sake of having things be as pleasant as possible. I think I'm ready to try."

Cedric looked over the woman in interest as she inched closer and closer to his bed. "You want to try being civil?"

"I just thought that there's no point in avoiding it. Holding all this contempt for you has gotten me nowhere." Sofia replied. "I'm willing to try something new."

"And you had to come here to tell me this. Late at night. Sneaking through my closet, no less." Cedric said, distrustful of his wife's words.

"Jonathan wouldn't let me in the door." Sofia said with a shrug. She watched him replace the glasses over his eyes and reclaim his book. It seemed he expected her to leave at that point but she wasn't going anywhere. She willed herself to continue forward until she was standing at his bedside. There was a wide open area between him and the edge of the bed so she took a hesitant seat. She pulled her feet from the slippers she wore and brought her knees up onto the bed so that she could sit comfortably as she turned to face him. "What are you reading?"

Cedric glanced at Sofia. Her behavior was decidedly strange but he couldn't detect exactly what was causing her to act that way. He looked back at his book and shifted, a bit on edge at her presence in his bedroom. "A spell book, naturally."

Sofia watched him a moment longer. He was clearly suspicious of her actions which might prove to be a problem. If she was to make any progress she would need to put his mind at ease. That meant swallowing her pride and ignoring her distaste for what she must do. She scooted closer to him, only a mere foot between them now as she peered over the book. "Are you looking for any spell in particular?"

Cedric sighed and lowered the book, pulling his glasses from his face once more. "Sofia, what are you doing here? Are you trying to-"

Sofia cut Cedric off by grabbing his face to pull him into a kiss. It was little more than a peck, her mouth closed against his, but it was enough to make the already ill feeling within her intensify tenfold. She pulled back from him and did her best not to let any disgust show. There was a look of absolute confusion on his face. She decided to use it to her advantage as she pushed the book and glasses aside and moved to straddle his lap.

Cedric sat slightly petrified. He was so unsure of what was happening he had to wonder if he was having an extremely vivid dream. But he could feel Sofia's body against his and smell the rosy freshness of whatever soap she'd used to bathe with that evening. This was every bit as real as it was perplexing. He opened his mouth to question her but he was once again silenced by her kiss.

She must be up to something, he knew. There was no way she had gone from murderous to affectionate overnight. He had to wonder if maybe she was trying to earn his favor in the hopes that he would return her sister to her. Or perhaps she had someone else waiting to kill him, an assassin who would strike while she had him good and distracted.

He knew he should push her off of him. It would be the wise thing to do. He should push her off and demand to know what her true intentions were.

But oh, how he _wanted_ her. Ulterior motive be damned, he wanted her so badly. It just might be worth throwing caution to the wind just to feel her against him.

His hands moved to her hips and he gripped her tightly. He nipped at her bottom lip, just enough to entice her mouth open so that he could delve in with his tongue for a taste. He could feel how rigid she was against him but he would do everything in his power to make sure that changed.

Sofia gasped in genuine shock as Cedric wrapped his arms around her waist and rolled her onto her back. She was more than uneasy but she tried not to let it show. She felt his tongue in her mouth again working slowly, gently against hers. His kiss was not at all what she'd expected it to be. She thought he'd be forceful and sloppy, much like the man who had assaulted her, but he seemed to be taking great care. It was surprisingly sensual and had it been anyone else, she would have enjoyed it.

She could feel his hands begin to roam over her body. Her instinctive thought was to push him away and slap him for daring to touch her so intimately but she reminded herself she had instigated this for a reason. She had to allow this kind of touch. More, she had to _encourage_ it. She pulled back from his kiss and gulped for air, forcing her next words despite her repugnance toward them. "D-don't stop until you're satisfied."

Cedric couldn't help the laugh that fell out against the young woman's throat. Satisfaction was _never_ easily achieved for him.

It was becoming increasingly obvious that there was something she was hoping to gain from all of this. Exactly what that was, he didn't know yet, but he was certainly going to give her more than she bargained for. He placed his hands on either side of her and pushed himself up so that he could get a good look at her.

Her auburn curls stood out nicely against the dark gray of his bed sheets. Those cerulean eyes of hers were wide with apprehension that she couldn't mask no matter how straight-faced she tried to remain. Just looking at her beneath him was enough to make his heart race, though the uncertainty she exuded did little for him. He wanted her in bliss but getting her there would require much diligence.

He lowered himself to kiss her softly, placing a few little pecks on her lips before moving to her cheek and then her ear. He exhaled against the flesh there and felt her shiver as a reaction. "Relax, my queen. I promise this won't hurt you."

Sofia allowed a grimace to dart across her features. Cedric couldn't see it with his face buried in her hair. But as he pulled back she forced herself into an emotionless expression once more and watched him warily.

He was looking her over, examining her like a wolf examines its prey. She now knew why witches referred to sorcerers in such a way. She felt like a helpless deer caught in his jaws and she was offering her throat to him.

He was moving away from her, crawling backward on the bed and letting his hands trail down her body as he went. The two eager appendages slid under her nightgown and pushed the fabric out of his way. She felt him grip her thighs just above her knees but rather than part her legs by force, he was stroking her gently in an effort to tempt her to open them. If this hadn't been her intention from the start she would have kicked him in the face. Instead she cooperated because he was doing exactly what she needed him to do... he was accepting her gift.

She could feel the warmth of his breath against her inner thigh. It brought goose bumps to her flesh to feel something so foreign in that region of her body. Of course, she'd touched herself there from time to time but only while bathing. Not even her attacker had made it that far but now Cedric's face was pressed against the fragile skin there, leaving kisses as he moved his way up her leg.

There was a bright blush on her cheeks at the thought of the view Cedric had of her. She had chosen to forgo her bloomers, deciding that they would just be an obstacle against her purpose. She could only imagine the unhindered image he was seeing beneath the bunched up fabric of her nightgown. She never wanted anyone to ever see her that way, _especially_ him.

She kept expecting that he would crawl back up the bed and lay himself on top of her to take what she knew he so desired. But painfully long minutes ticked by and he was still between her legs, alternating between her thighs with careful, patient kisses. Occasionally the wetness from his tongue would press against her skin and her breath would catch in shock. She was certain he was moving upward, ever so slowly, and it was torturous. She just wanted this to be all over.

Cedric couldn't help but to chuckle at his wife. There was a slight tremble in her legs, though he doubted she could detect it at the moment. He wondered if she was growing impatient. After all, he was taking his sweet time teasing her with delicate kisses when he knew that she had other plans. He paused for a moment to glance up at her, her cheeks flushed just enough as she looked at him expectantly. It wasn't quite what he was hoping for but he supposed it was the best he could achieve for the moment.

He lowered his head back down and returned his mouth against the flesh of her inner thigh to tease her just a bit more.

Sofia flopped her head back in agony. How long was he going to carry on this way? He should be eager to have her, wanting her too badly to hold himself back. He shouldn't be going so painstakingly slow.

She opened her mouth, about to vocalize as much to him when a surprised gasp swallowed her words on its way through her parted lips. His tongue darted out against the folds of her femininity, warm and slick. It caught her off guard and her body twisted involuntarily. Perhaps he had gotten a bit overzealous in his kisses, she considered, but then he did it again and her body gave the same jerking reaction.

Cedric smiled to himself at Sofia's physical response to his mouth moving to taste where no man had ever touched her. He repeated the action again, running his tongue tormentingly slow up her slit until he found the sensitive bundle of nerves hidden amongst the tender flesh there. He could tease her further and dance around the area, but why bother? He'd made her suffer long enough.

Sofia let out an involuntary moan as she felt Cedric's mouth cover her completely. She slapped a hand over her own mouth to stifle any more noises but Cedric reached up and clasped her wrist. He was pulling her hand down and forcing it into his hair where he urged her to grasp him.

She allowed her fingers to intertwine with the silvery locks. At the very least, she thought, this would be a good opportunity to get a strand for the ritual she needed to complete. But his mouth pressed harder against her, tongue lapping at her as though he couldn't get enough of her taste. A low, heady moan could be heard in his throat and a flash of heat washed over her. Any thoughts she had quickly fled her in favor of letting the moment overtake her.

Her breath grew shallow as she began to pant into the air. Lightheadedness was soon to follow. She felt like the only thing tethering her to consciousness was the hold she had on Cedric's hair. She found, much to her dismay, she had begun to buck upward against him. If he minded, he didn't show it. He only wrapped his hands around her hips and pulled her closer.

His tongue was still toying with her, striking that same spot over and over that made her whole body convulse and cry out with pleasure. Pleasure... something she shouldn't be feeling with him. Perhaps it was because she wasn't looking at him. Surely if she saw who was making her experience such tumultuous feelings her body would react appropriately and recoil in disgust.

She raised her head to look down at him. She couldn't see much of him. His face was buried so deeply against her as his mouth moved hungrily across that delicate bundle of divine sensation. Then his eyes flashed in her direction and her body failed her. She was on the cusp of something extraordinary and she could feel it building within her. Her loins were tightening and they felt on fire as those eyes watched her writhe against him.

That was when the unspeakable happened.

His name escaped her lips on a whimper and her head fell back as she felt herself begin to flutter. Both hands were now gripping his hair, pulling him closer as the shock waves of ecstasy jolted through her body. She faintly heard a muffled groan pass from his mouth onto her flesh but whatever the cause might be, she was still too wrapped up in euphoria to worry about it at the moment.

Only when the pleasure ebbed did she bother to look at him once more. He was pushing himself up with one trembling limb while he wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his nightshirt. She heaved for a breath but she couldn't seem to get enough to fully regain her composure. "Are we... going to... keep going?" She asked through her pants for air.

Cedric grinned and moved to crawl closer to the woman. "I'm afraid I'm spent, darling. The encroachment charm works far better than I anticipated."

"You mean you..." Sofia glanced down between Cedric's legs, thankful for the clothes covering him. A new redness rose to her cheeks at the thought that he had received just as much enjoyment from their contact as she had. "W-well, can't we just-"

Cedric laughed and pulled himself against his wife to nuzzle at her neck. "I'm afraid you'll have to wait a bit if you want to do more, my dear."

Sofia looked up at the canopy over the bed, still gasping for breath. She lulled her head to the side to find Cedric staring at her, his hazel eyes burrowing into her gaze. His hand was now stroking her hair as he watched her with an amorous expression on his face. She rolled onto her side and turned her back to him. She was unable to stomach looking at him when he seemed so pleased.

She lay as still as she could. She could feel him shifting behind her, draping an arm over her to pull her close. Only a bit longer, she told herself. Only a bit longer until she could complete the ritual and hopefully be rid of him forever.

Her thoughts drifted to her family. The first thing she intended to do once Cedric was dead and gone was cure them of whatever he'd done. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to imagine what life might be like once she had her loved ones back. It brought a smile to her face to think of being truly reunited with them after so long. It was these thoughts of joy that comforted her, perhaps too much, as she lay in Cedric's embrace.

Cedric could feel Sofia's body relaxing against his and her breathing pattern changed. She was drifting off to sleep. He ran his hand gently up and down her form until he heard a light snore fall from her lips. He pushed himself up just enough to watch her face as she slept. She looked so at ease there despite the inner turmoil he knew she must be feeling.

Her motives were still a mystery to him. What could have possibly brought her to his room this night? If civility was all she was after she wouldn't have thrown herself at him. There was definitely something more she wanted but he couldn't peg it quite yet. He leaned down and pressed his lips against her temple in a goodnight kiss before whispering to her tauntingly. "I'll find out what you're up to, you little minx. One way or the other..."

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AN #2: I was originally thinking about titling this chapter "Hungry Like the Wolf" but Andy Dick in Old School has forever ruined that song for me and I can't even think about it without falling into fits of giggles. Damn you, Andy Dick! Damn you!


	11. The Enemy

AN: I'm finally caught up on my writing so I have this chapter for you and perhaps one more tomorrow or Sunday if things go well.

Please let me know what you think about this chapter! As always, enjoy!

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Sofia opened her eyes to find that she was not in her room.

Memories of the night before flashed through her mind like a flip book of shame. A feeling she couldn't quite describe to herself struck through her body at the recollection of Cedric staring up at her from between her legs. Her heartbeat quickened as she realized she'd fallen asleep in his room, in his bed, in his arms.

She was too afraid to move. The thought of facing him after what had occurred between them seemed too humiliating to deal with at the moment. She could feel that he was behind her, not touching her but still there in bed with her. Perhaps if she was careful she could slip out of bed without him noticing. She began inching ever so slowly toward the edge of the bed when the sound of his voice sent her blood running cold.

"Good morning, darling." Cedric said, looking up from the book in his hand long enough to see that he had caused his wife to freeze in terror. He suppressed a chuckle and returned his gaze to the book. "How did you sleep?"

Sofia rolled onto her back and forced herself to look at Cedric. He was seated in bed much like he had been the night before, book in his hand and glasses on his face. Her brow furrowed and she reached up to rub the sleep from her eyes. "I slept fine, I suppose. What are you doing?"

"Still reading this book." Cedric answered, thumbing the corner of the page to turn it over.

"I can see that." Sofia said in slight annoyance as she moved to sit up in the bed. "I meant to ask why. What's so enthralling in that book? You were reading it last night and now again this morning. Clearly you're looking for _something_."

"Well, yes. But you needn't worry your pretty little head about it." Cedric replied, snapping the book shut. He removed his glasses from his face and sat both items on the bedside table before turning to face his wife. "Are you hungry?"

Sofia paused to ponder Cedric's question. While her stomach felt sick over the fact that she'd spent all night sleeping next to him she also knew that she needed to eat. She wanted to get better so that when her punishment was over she would be able to care for the members of her family who remained in the castle. She put her hand to her stomach and glanced at him. "I could eat."

"Would you like to have breakfast here in bed or downstairs?" Cedric asked.

"Why would I have breakfast in here?" Sofia said in confusion before she realized that given what had happened between them, it was likely Cedric's perception that she meant to stay in his room from then on. Her face paled but she tried to hide it with a forced smile. "I mean, I'm a messy eater. I wouldn't want to soil your bed sheets."

"It's a little late for that, don't you think?" Cedric retorted with a crooked smile.

The paleness of the queen's face was replaced with a heavy blush. She turned a mortified gaze away from him only to feel him move to press his mouth against her throat. He let out a laugh and the warmth of his breath against her skin caused chills to race up and down her spine. "Y-you shouldn't say things like that."

"I'm only teasing, darling." Cedric purred, provoking her with little pecks along her neck to see how far she'd let him go before she pulled away. "You can make a mess of my sheets anytime."

A strange noise caught in her throat; something between a whimper and gasp. She could feel his hand on her leg, thankfully on top of the fabric of her nightgown, but it was slowly trailing upward. She wasn't going to stop him. After all, she needed him to accept her body as his gift. This was what she needed to happen. But relief still flooded her as there came a knock at the door and she felt him pull away.

Cedric stood, annoyed with the interruption. He was having fun watching his wife squirm at his touch and whoever had intruded upon that had better have a damn good reason. He stormed over to the door and yanked it open to see his wife's chambermaid looking up at him in worry.

"Your Majesty!" Abigail began, out of breath. "I can't find the queen anywhere and I..." She trailed off as Cedric stepped aside and motioned into his room. From the doorway she could see Sofia seated on the bed, hair a bit tousled and embarrassment painted on her face. Her own cheeks flushed at the sight and she backed away from the king with a curtsy. "I-I'm so sorry to intrude."

"Abigail, wait!" Sofia called out, leaping off the bed. She hurried to the door and looked out at her chambermaid hopefully. "Did you bring up my breakfast?"

"Yes, Your Majesty." Abigail said with a nod.

"Wonderful." Cedric said with a smile. "You can bring it in here."

"Actually, Abigail and I have been splitting the breakfast." Sofia said, turning to Cedric. "All the food is just too much and it would be a shame to let it go to waste. It's our morning ritual. One I'd like to continue."

"I see." Cedric said, looking between the two young women skeptically. "Very well. Enjoy your breakfast, darling."

Sofia held her breath as Cedric leaned in and planted a kiss firmly across her lips. She willed herself to cast him a smile before hurrying from the room across the hall. Once she and Abigail were safely in her room she let out an irritable groan and flopped down face first onto her bed.

"I-is everything alright, Your Majesty?" Abigail asked hesitantly.

"Everything is fine." Sofia mumbled against the blankets. "Other than the fact that nothing I do ever seems to go according to plan, everything is _just peachy_."

Abigail watched the queen in silent worry for a moment before deciding to voice her concerns. "Your Majesty, I hope I'm not overstepping my boundaries but... th-the king didn't force you to do something you didn't want to do. D-did he?"

Sofia pushed herself up and turned to look at the chambermaid in shock. "What would make you ask a question like that?"

"It's just..." Abigail clenched her hands together, avoiding the queen's gaze. "I know how you feel about the king. You've made it a secret to no one, even to him, that you detest him. So to find you in his bed this morning is quite unusual to say the least. Now, I do like my job here at the castle and I love being your servant but if this is a situation you really need to get out of, Lord Jonathan knows all sorts of secret passages in and out of the castle and he's shown me some. I'm sure I could help you escape if-"

Sofia cut Abigail off with a laugh and a shake of her head. "Abigail, that's very sweet of you to be concerned. But I'm fine. I promise. I was the one who went to the king last night and anything that happened between us was... something I agreed to."

"It was?" Abigail's face lit up with hope. "That's wonderful, Your Majesty! I suppose he told you, then?"

Sofia's face shifted to a look of confusion as she stood to blink at the chambermaid curiously. "Told me what?"

Abigail snapped her mouth shut and shook her head vigorously. "N-nothing. Never mind."

Sofia advanced toward Abigail and stared down at her with a frown. "What is it that the king hasn't yet told me, Abigail?"

Abigail let out a whine and looked away from the queen. "I really can't say, Your Majesty. And no matter how many times you insist that I tell you, I simply can't. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have opened my mouth."

"Maybe you shouldn't have. But now that you did you have to tell me." Sofia crossed her arms over her chest and looked Abigail up and down. "What is this secret you and my husband are keeping?"

"It's nothing bad. In fact, it's the exact opposite of bad. It will probably make you very happy. That's really all I can tell you, Your Majesty." Abigail said, looking back up at Sofia guiltily. "I'm sure he'll tell you very soon. Especially now that you two are intimate."

Intimate.

The word made her shutter at the thought given the context. But Abigail was right, what had occurred between her and Cedric was extremely intimate and not nearly as awful as it probably should have been.

The image of him watching as he pleasured her darted through her mind once more. Warmth flooded her entire body and she did her best to shake the feeling. Time to change the subject.

"Let's just have breakfast, Abigail." Sofia said, motioning to the cart that had been left abandoned by the door.

"Yes, Your Majesty." Abigail said with a nod, grateful that the queen had ceased her prying about what Cedric was apparently still keeping hidden from her.

As the two women shared breakfast Abigail informed her that it was shaping up to be a particularly warm Autumn day and that, with Cedric's permission, she intended to give the royal family some much needed outdoor time.

It helped distract Sofia to hear Abigail talk about her plans for the royal family that day. It kept her mind off of her night with Cedric and anything that could help her to not think about _that_ was most welcome. But as they finished their breakfast and Abigail had to go about her daily duties, Sofia found herself alone and at the mercy of her own thoughts.

She wavered back and forth between feelings of disgust and intrigue. She felt vile for what she had let Cedric do to her and even worse that she had enjoyed it. But then the part of her that had never experienced something so decadent as the way his mouth made her feel was curious to know if he was just as talented with the other parts of his body as he was his tongue.

Disgraceful.

She tried to force herself to think of something else. _Anything_ else. But it seemed she was doomed to have Cedric on her mind for the rest of the day. Thankfully her thoughts began to shift from confusing desire to this secret he apparently had. She didn't like the thought of him keeping something from her, though she knew he likely kept many secrets.

As secrets went, she had a handful of her own and she knew she shouldn't be bothered by this particular one. But bother her it did and she was determined she would get to the bottom of it, one way or the other.

When a knock came at her door she found herself hoping that it was Cedric. Then at least she could pry and pry until she hopefully found out what it was he was keeping hidden from her. But when nobody peered into the room she realized it wasn't Cedric knocking. He usually let himself in with a knock as a mere formality but her door didn't budge.

She stood, curiosity piqued. She started toward the door before pausing to glance back at the spot where she'd hidden the dagger. It was there if she needed it. She didn't feel nearly as safe as she would if it had been on her person but she didn't want to keep whoever had knocked waiting long enough to grab it. She turned back toward the door and pulled it open to find the captain of the guard standing there, much to her surprise. "Jonathan?"

Jonathan glanced over his shoulder nervously before motioning into the room. "Can I come in?"

"Uhm." Sofia looked around before stepping aside for the man to enter. "Sure, but you should probably make it quick."

"Believe me, I intend to." Jonathan said, hurrying into the room. Once inside he closed the door and pressed his back to it. "Did you tell the king I let you in his room?"

"What?" Sofia shook her head vigorously. "No. He didn't even ask how I got there, just how long I'd been there. But I didn't tell him you told me how to get in."

"Well, I got my ass chewed because you found your way in there and he somehow thinks I'm responsible." Jonathan replied.

"You _are_ responsible." Sofia said with a shrug. "If you hadn't told me about that secret passageway behind the painting I-"

"Shh!" Jonathan said, throwing his finger to his lips. "Are you trying to get me killed?"

Sofia planted her hands on her hips, not taking kindly to being shushed by the captain of the guard. "I'm not trying to get you anything. If you don't want to risk getting in trouble with Cedric maybe you shouldn't be doing things that put you at risk."

"I didn't think I was taking a risk." Jonathan said with a grumble before lowering his voice to a nearly inaudible whisper. "I thought you were going to kill him."

Sofia blinked widely at Jonathan and took a step back from him. "I-if you thought I was going to do that why would you tell me how to get in?"

"Because..." Jonathan trailed off with a sigh and crossed his arms. "Do I really need to say it, Your Majesty? Everyone in the kingdom knows you're the rightful leader here, not him. And we all know it's only a matter of time before your usefulness to him runs out. At that point it's _kill or be killed_. I assumed that since you already tried to kill him once you were probably gonna go for it again."

"So, you _want_ me to kill him?" Sofia asked in disbelief.

"I'm not waiting around for you to do it or anything. I'm just not going to stop you if you try." Jonathan said with a shrug. "But I'm still the captain of the guard and he has loyalists around everywhere so I have to keep a low profile. That means not having him be suspicious of me when it comes to matters having to do with you. You can't let him know I told you about the secret passage into his room or the dagger I gave you. He'll kill me."

"D-did you give me that dagger so I would kill him with it?" Sofia muttered.

"I gave you the dagger so that you would have a weapon _if you needed it_." Jonathan replied. "What you choose to do with it is your own business."

Sofia looked to the ground in thought before turning her gaze back to the captain of the guard. "Are you part of the resistance?"

"Are you kidding me? I'm not an idiot." Jonathan said with a scoff. "I'm not putting my fucking neck on the line for anything like that. I don't mind playing cloak-and-dagger with you, Your Majesty, but not at the risk of my own life. I'll help you whenever I can but that's it. Whatever you choose to do or not do, that's on you. Just please leave my name out of it."

"Okay, I understand." Sofia said with a nod. "Thank you for all you've risked already."

"You shouldn't even be thanking me for that shit. If someone were to overhear..." Jonathan trailed off and turned back to the door to peek out. "Look, I gotta go. I need to help Abbs with your family before someone notices I'm gone. Just remember, whatever you do, keep the king's suspicions off of me. If I'm not around to help you, I don't think anyone can help you; especially once the king decides he no longer needs you."

Sofia watched as Jonathan crept out of her room and started swiftly down the hallway. She kept eyes on him until he disappeared through the secret passage that led to the library. Once he was gone from sight she closed her door and returned to her bed to flop down.

She couldn't help but wonder about Jonathan's words... once her usefulness to Cedric had run its course what would happen to her? Maybe breaking the encroachment charm was what Cedric had in mind all along. Maybe once she gave herself over to him he would no longer have use of her. Baileywick's warning about the encroachment charm ran through her mind. It was preventing her from killing Cedric but it was also preventing him from killing her. Breaking it put her at real risk. She might not even live long enough to take him down.

Perhaps she needed to rethink her strategy.

But as she began to ponder what other options she might have she heard a tap at her window. She sat up and looked at the window in time to see what looked like a small pebble hitting the glass and creating the same tap sound.

She stood and walked over to the window to open it. When she peered out she saw Abigail below with her mother and father seated in their wheelchairs. The servant girl was waving happily at her as Jonathan came into view wheeling her brother. Sofia cast the girl a small smile and a wave.

Abigail was taking a big risk bringing the royal family to a place where Sofia could see them, given that her punishment was to be kept away from them. She knew the girl was doing it for her sake and her sake alone.

It seemed everyone else was taking risks to help her. Jonathan and Abigail, Baileywick, Lucinda and the rest of the resistance too. They were all laying their lives down on the line for something they believed in.

She could do the same.

As she sat in her room watching Abigail care for her family in the warm rays of the Autumn sun she knew that she needed to just press forward with her plan. She needed to break the encroachment charm and she needed to do it before Cedric realized what she was up to.

She had to kill him before he could kill her. It was her only option.

* * *

AN #2: It should be noted that any time Cedric calls Sofia "darling" it's meant in a purely patronizing way. "My dear," however, is his much more genuine moniker for her.


	12. Desire

AN: Here is your second chapter for the weekend, as promised. Really hoping to have a Wednesday morning update for you as well so keep your eyes peeled.

Thanks to those of you who take the time to review. It really keeps me motivated and I love you for it! Please enjoy and please, please, please let me know what you think!

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Sofia stood outside Cedric's door. It was much earlier in the evening than when she had gone to him the night before. She wanted to give herself ample time to do what she needed to do without exhaustion setting in and ruining her chance. She raised her hand to knock on the door and waited for him to answer, though he only called out that the door was open. A chill ran up her spine at the thought that he must've been expecting her.

She stepped into the room, more determined now than ever that she was going to break the encroachment charm but as she looked around she saw the room was vacant. Confusion began to set in because she knew for certain she'd heard his voice calling to her. She stepped into the closet to see if he was in there but it was also devoid of life.

She turned around, ready to exit and try again later when she finally spotted him standing on the opposite side of the room. He was entirely nude. She immediately averted her gaze and tried to fight the wild blush that was coming to her cheeks. "Uhm..."

"You have impeccable timing, darling." Cedric said with a smile, taking a bit of joy in his wife's visual discomfort at his nudity. "I was just about to take a bath."

"O-oh." Sofia kept her gaze directed anywhere but at Cedric as she started toward the door. "I can come back later."

"Nonsense." Cedric advanced toward Sofia before she could exit. "Why don't you join me? Spare the servants the chore of heating up more water for your bath."

Sofia's already crimson face deepened in color at the thought. She pointed her eyes upward to avoid catching a glimpse of him. "Th-that's very tempting, but-"

"But what?" Cedric asked, stepping closer to caress her cheek. "Did you already have a bath?"

Sofia shook her head, finally snapping her gaze to Cedric's face. "No. But I didn't come here for a bath. I came here for... something else."

"Something else?" Cedric feigned surprise, though he knew very well what his wife had come there seeking. After all, she'd been unsuccessful the night before. Obviously she was back to try again. "What do you need, darling?"

Sofia quickly cast her eyes away from Cedric once more, unsure how to ask the man for sex. She began fidgeting with her hands nervously as she tried to think. "Could we... I-I mean, I was wondering..."

Cedric smiled deviously at his wife's clumsy words. Oh, how he was relishing this. "You were wondering?"

"I was hoping that maybe we could pick up where we left off last night." Sofia finally managed to get out. She looked back up at him, his eyes filled with that same lustful expression they had been the night before. "B-but you're busy right now so-"

"I'm never too busy for you, darling." Cedric replied, reaching out for the woman. "We can kill two birds with one stone. You can join me for a bath and while we're in there I'll give you exactly what you need."

"I-I..." Was all Sofia could stammer out as Cedric wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her in the direction of his bathroom. He was even closer than before, shameless in his nudity. Never had she _ever_ imagined that she would see the man naked, let alone be so close to him while he was nude. Even when she thought about having sex with him it was always something she pictured happening with their clothes on; her gown up around her hips and his pants just low enough to allow the necessary contact. Being fully nude just seemed _too intimate_. Yet, there she was allowing him to lead her along to the bath where they would both be pressed up against each other wantonly. The thought was agonizing enough to make her whole body blush.

Cedric, meanwhile, was reveling in Sofia's demeanor. Seeing her so uneasy wouldn't normally bring him such pleasure but the fact that she was up to something gave him a sense that she deserved every bit of the anxiety she was causing herself by coming there.

There was a bigger part of him, however, that wanted her to feel entirely at ease in his presence and that part of him was more than a little bothered by the fact that she wasn't. He wanted desperately to change that.

Once he had her in the bathroom he closed the door for further privacy and pressed his mouth gently against her ear. "I've been thinking about you all day, Sofia. I couldn't get you off my mind."

Sofia shuttered at Cedric's breath against her flesh and the way he said her name with just a hint of a lusty growl. It wasn't a disgusted kind of shudder like it should have been and that in itself was enough for her to be furious at her body's betrayal. "I-I was thinking about you a lot too." She uttered. Unfortunately, not a lie.

"Were you?" Cedric asked, suppressing a laugh. He had no way to know if she was being honest but just the idea that she had thought even once about their exchange the night before was enough to delight him.

"Yes." Sofia said, trying to hide the tremble in her voice. For a moment she contemplated telling him that a majority of the thoughts had been about the secret he was keeping from her but that conversation might get in the way of why she'd really come there. She chose to save it for later and just carry on with what she intended to do. "I've been thinking about what we did last night and how badly I want to continue."

Cedric drew in closer to the queen with a wide grin. "That makes two of us."

Sofia swallowed hard as she felt Cedric come nearer to her. He was pressed up against her backside, hands cupping her shoulders as he began placing tiny kisses against her neck.

Her flesh didn't crawl like she thought it might. It seemed her body had completely forsaken her mind and heart for the sake of meaningless physical desire. She could feel his fingers slipping underneath the fabric of her gown as he pushed it down her arms to a pile on the floor. Still no corporeal revulsion. Only an involuntary gasp as he gripped her hips and pulled her closer. She began to shiver, a likely combination of the cold evening air against her now bare flesh and the anticipation of what they were about to do.

"If you don't want this, I'll stop." Cedric whispered, pausing in his torment of the woman as she began to quake against him. As fun as it was to tease her he didn't want her doing something unwillingly. He wanted to give her a moment to say no if she was truly uncomfortable. Whatever her motives may be, the thought that she couldn't say no should never be one of them.

Sofia shook her head at Cedric's words, tempted as she was to stop her body's treachery. As angry as she felt at her physical form for it's reaction to his touch, she reasoned that it was probably much better to enjoy it than have to suffer the pain and discomfort that would likely come if she'd been more averse to contact with him. She turned to face him and forced her gaze to meet his. "I don't want you to stop."

"Are you certain?" Cedric asked, brushing a hand up and down her arm. "You're shaking."

"I'm just a little nervous." Sofia answered honestly. "I've never done these things before. I've never even seen a naked man before so..."

"Does it bother you to see me this way?" Cedric muttered as he leaned to press his mouth to her ear once more. "Does it displease you?"

A small sigh fell from Sofia's lips as she felt Cedric's mouth trail from her earlobe downward. She tilted her head slightly to the side to allow him easier access. "No, it doesn't displease me. I'm just shy about it, and about my own body too."

"Believe me, my dear, you have nothing to be shy about." Cedric spoke softly against her throat. "You're absolutely stunning."

"I don't feel stunning." Sofia replied. "I feel exposed."

"This is why I offered to stop." Cedric said, pulling back to look her in the eye. "Believe me, there is nothing I want more than to take you in my arms and have my way with you but not at the expense of your comfort."

Sofia stared at Cedric in thought. There was an expression on his face that didn't match his earlier look of desire. Concern, perhaps? She thought about his words and his offer to stop where they were for her sake. A strange feeling started churning in the pit of her stomach but she ignored it and shook her head. There was no way she was going to ask him to stop. She needed for them to move forward. "I don't want to stop. I want to keep going."

"As you wish, my queen." Cedric said as he cast the woman a small smile. He leaned in to catch her mouth against his, kissing her sweetly as he moved her backward toward the bathtub. Her bare flesh against his was almost too tempting for words but he wasn't about to give her what she was after just yet. She was going to have to earn it.

He pulled away from her long enough to step into the water and take a seat against the cool porcelain. He then took her hand to hold while she climbed in facing him. He could see the hesitation on her face but whether it was due to lack of want or lack of experience, he couldn't be sure. She looked so beautiful standing over him, blushing madly and doing her best to hide her body with her frail little limbs. A snicker passed from his lips and he began pulling her down.

Sofia knelt slowly into the hot water as Cedric pulled at her but she was caught off guard when he grabbed her hips once more and turned her to face the opposite direction. She blinked in shock as he positioned her between his legs and wrapped his arms around her waist, pressing her back up against his chest. "Wh-what are you doing? I thought we-"

"You're not ready for that yet." Cedric replied. He nuzzled her neck gently, smiling against the flesh there. "I don't want to hurt you, Sofia, so I'm going to prepare you. I'm going to train your body to accommodate mine."

Sofia cast a confused glance over her shoulder at Cedric. "What do you meeeeeea-ah!" Her words were gobbled up by a loud gasp as she felt Cedric's hand slip between her thighs. His fingers were toying with her in the same spot where his tongue had been hard at work the night before. She felt her legs quivering and her breath was already beginning to hitch. Then his hand slipped lower and her heart skipped a beat.

Cedric let out a chuckle against his wife's shoulder as her legs parted for him. He teased just outside her entrance, enjoying the anxious tremble that piled onto her already shivering form and left her vibrating almost violently against him. He was sure she must be appalled at how her body reacted to his touch. After all, she despised him. Yet she was in his arms for a second night and he was going to do things to her that would make her question why she bothered hating him at all. He would make her feel good. He would make her ache for more of his touch until it was all that consumed her thoughts, much like she consumed his.

He slid a solitary finger carefully within her and he earned a shocked moan in response. Her head fell back against his shoulder so he took the opportunity to press his open mouth to her throat and kiss her hungrily.

Sofia found herself gripping the edges of the clawfoot tub as Cedric pulled his hand back ever so slightly before sliding it forward again. This new sensation was unexpected and horribly delightful. She wanted more of it. Thankfully he seemed to be willing to give her precisely that. She felt him at work within her, probing gently back and forth and enticing little vocalizations of pleasure from her mouth. Her body shaking against his only seemed to intensify the sensation.

His other hand had moved up to cup her breast. He was squeezing, but not too tightly, as he pulled her closer against him. It almost felt as though he was trying to pull her into him, but she found she didn't mind this level of proximity. All she wanted was his hands on her body.

She loathed the fact that someone she hated so much could make her feel so good.

She didn't loath it enough to stop it, however. Instead she let it overwhelm her. She was panting heavily as he caressed her walls at a slow, steady pace. Her hand flew up behind her to cup the back of his head as he kissed her relentlessly on the neck. But all the pleasure was short lived as he pulled his hands away from her completely. A loud whimper rose from within her and she lifted her head to look at him.

"Don't whine." Cedric said firmly. "Turn around."

Sofia did as Cedric instructed, pushing herself up with trembling limbs to turn around in the tub. She felt his hands fall to her hips as he pulled her against him. She looked at him in curiosity. "Are we going to a-ah!"

Cedric ignored his wife's questioning gaze and slipped two fingers where she needed him most. Though he couldn't see what he was doing with her positioned this way he could see her face much better. The flush of her cheeks and the way her lips parted to allow her streams of _'ah, ah, ah,'_ into the air were enough to make up for it.

Her hands were clawing their way up his chest in search of something to grab hold to. He allowed one to clasp the back of his neck but he snatched the other with his free hand and dragged it down under the water to the space between them. He directed her to wrap her digits around his erection and showed her how to match the pace of his strokes within her. He was pleased to find that she continued well after he pulled his guiding hand away. He brought it back out of the water to cup her face and pull her into a desperate kiss.

Sofia felt Cedric's tongue in her mouth. The same wet muscle that had given her so much pleasure the night before was now battling her own for dominance and winning. The kiss was passionate and a bit forceful but she didn't mind it. Her only thought was that his tongue could be doing _so much more_ elsewhere on her body and she might have preferred it. Still, she had no complaints about their current position.

His fingers were buried so deep within her, bending and curling and touching spots that she never even knew existed. Her body felt electric. She tried to focus on where he wanted her, running her hand up and down the length of him. But the longer he thrust his fingers in and out of her and the deeper he got, the harder it was for her to keep her whits about her.

She could feel that pressure inside her building again. It was slow and steady at first but with each plunge his fingers made it became rapid and overwhelming. She was moaning into Cedric's mouth. Her climax was at the tipping point and she was almost over the edge when she felt him stop and pull back from her again. "Cedric, wh-"

"I don't want you to cum yet." Cedric said, cutting her off. "You cum too quickly."

"I-isn't that a good thing?" Sofia asked as she gasped for breath.

"Under normal circumstances, yes." Cedric replied. "But you-"

Sofia interrupted Cedric by forcing her mouth over his. She didn't want to hear his explanation. She wanted him to continue what he'd started. She pulled back and looked at him pleadingly. "Don't stop."

Cedric let out a heavy sigh and shook his head. "Sofia..."

"Please." Sofia said needfully, leaning to press her lips to his throat. She opened her mouth and let her tongue dart out against his pulse before she kissed her way up to his ear. "Please, Cedric."

Cedric groaned as he felt his wife's mouth trail up. It was hard to deny her when she was literally on her knees before him, begging him to touch her. He slid his hand back around behind her, pausing to caress the supple flesh of her backside before reinserting his fingers in the warmth of her folds. She immediately began grinding against his touch and he couldn't help but think that it would have been so much better if she was grinding down on his cock instead.

For a moment the desire to give her precisely what she was after crossed his mind. It would be all too easy to grasp her hips and pick her up to slip her down over the length of him... but no. She wasn't ready, even if her cries of pleasure hinted otherwise.

Her hand was still gripping him, still pumping as he'd instructed her and she was doing so faithfully along with his pace. He was quivering against her palm, his body's reaction to her own sensations. She was nearing an orgasm again. He could pull back from her once more, but what would be the point? She'd only demand that he continue and he was weak to her requests. He may as well give her what she wanted. He tilted his head up and pressed his cheek against hers as he whispered to her. "Cum, Sofia. Cum hard."

"Y-yes." Sofia muttered, her hand on the back of Cedric's neck sliding upward to grasp an eager handful of his hair. She pulled herself closer to him and pressed her forehead against his shoulder as her walls began to cinch around his fingers. That same wonderful feeling from the night before racked her body again and she found herself clinging tightly to her husband as it washed over her in waves.

When it all dissipated she eased her grip on him and collapsed against his body. Their chests were heaving in unison as they both gasped for air.

"You definitely... need to work on... your stamina, my dear." Cedric said between breaths as he pressed his lips against the top of his wife's head.

Sofia looked up at him in confusion and shook her head. "I don't see why."

"When we have sex I only get to orgasm once. Then I'm useless." Cedric explained, raising his ringed finger up to her view. "Because of this little charm of ours whenever I make you climax, I get the same."

"Y-you say that like it's a problem." Sofia replied.

"It _is_ a problem." Cedric retorted. "Sofia, when we make love for the first time I want it to last much longer than a few passionate moments. I want you in my arms for the entirety of the night. I want..."

Sofia blinked up at Cedric as he trailed off. She felt a bit of shock at his words. _Make love_? Was that how he viewed the things they were doing? As actions of love rather than lust? A slice of guilt wedged its way into her chest but she did her best to shake it off. She wasn't the one who should be feeling guilty, after all. And he shouldn't be so stupid as to believe anything between them could ever amount to love, especially after what he'd put her through.

Still, those words were at work within her making her feel a whole new level of discomfort she didn't want to feel.

She decided to change the subject. It would take him a while to recover from his orgasm before they could move on and she didn't want to sit in awkward silence with him.

She raised her head slightly to look up at him, a perfect topic of discussion coming to mind. "Cedric, there's something I need to know."

Cedric turned a nervous gaze down at his wife and he cocked an eyebrow at her. "What is it?"

Sofia stared at Cedric, her brow furrowing in thought of how to state what she wanted to know. "Abigail said something today... she said you were going to tell me something but haven't yet."

Cedric blinked at Sofia with wide eyes before dismissing her words with a shake of his head. He knew instantly what she was speaking of but it was the worst possible time to address the issue. "Your chambermaid spoke out of turn. Forget what she said."

"No. I want to know." Sofia demanded. "What is this secret you're keeping that Abigail can know but I can't?"

"Jealous, darling?" Cedric asked with a laugh.

"Not jealous." Sofia replied. "Just terribly curious. Abigail said it was something that would probably make me happy. I'd like to know what that is."

Cedric sighed and raised a hand to place against his forehead. "I _do_ intend to tell you one day. But when that day will come, I can't say for sure. I need you to be patient until then."

"That's not fair." Sofia complained.

Cedric moved his hand to cup Sofia's cheek and he forced an uneasy smile at her. "Most of life is unfair, my dear. I'm sorry. I will tell you in due time. Meanwhile, I think we should get out of this bath before we turn to prunes."

Sofia grumbled irritably but she knew there was nothing else she could really do to make Cedric tell her. She rose with his help and climbed out of the bath. She stood dripping and shivering on the tile, unsure what to do until she spotted her gown laying in a pool of silk on the floor. At the very least she could redress and spare herself the humility of being nude any further. As she leaned down to grab the gown, however, she felt the warmth and softness of a towel being wrapped around her form. She stood upright and glanced behind her to see Cedric covering her in the over sized towel with a kind smile on his face.

Her lips curved involuntarily in return before she averted her gaze and clasped the towel so he wouldn't have to hold it in place. "Th-thank you."

"You're more than welcome, my dear." Cedric said softly.

Sofia watched her husband as he bypassed her and made his way over to a small table where it appeared he'd set out his night clothes to dress after the bath. She found that she couldn't tear her eyes from his form as he pulled his pants on over his lower half. Somehow seeing him nude no longer seemed so terrifying. She wondered if she was going to begin feeling that way about everything involving him; desensitized to his touch and nearness to the point that it no longer left her feeling disgusted by his mere presence.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed him approaching until he draped his nightshirt over her. She snapped back to reality and reached up to pull the soft, cottony tunic from her head. "What's this for?"

"For you to wear." Cedric replied with a shrug. "It's not nearly as long as one of your nightgowns... but does it need to be?"

Sofia blushed at what Cedric was insinuating and tried her hardest not to look at him. She dropped the towel as he turned to exit the room before she pulled the nightshirt on over her body. It was loose fitting and comfortable but she noted immediately that it was indeed short, only hanging low enough to slightly cover her nether regions. She cursed inwardly at herself for once again deciding to discard her bloomers before coming to him. Now she had nothing to cover her bottom, though she supposed that was just fine with Cedric.

She started hesitantly out of the bathroom to find him seated in bed. Like he had been the past few times she'd seen him sitting there, he had his glasses on his face and that same spell book in hand.

She crossed the room and took a seat on the bed, looking him over curiously. "That must be the most interesting book to have ever existed."

Cedric tittered at his wife's sardonic tone and cast his gaze at her. "Not a particularly riveting read." His eyes trailed down her form to see her bare legs peeking out from under his nightshirt and his tongue slipped out across his bottom lip. He closed the book and pulled his glasses off to put them aside before leaning across the bed to touch his wife. "You're far more entertaining."

Sofia turned crimson as Cedric placed his hand against her thigh. Already her body was craving more of his touch but she needed to keep focused on her goal. Sex. Sex was what she had come there for and that's what she needed to give to him. "Are you ready to keep going?"

"I'm ready to help you build up a tolerance for pleasure." Cedric replied. "But if you're asking me to make love to you, I can't do that yet."

"Why not?" Sofia asked, annoyance with him suddenly sweeping over her. "Don't you want to?"

"Believe me, my dear, I want to very badly." Cedric replied, moving to kiss gently across her thigh. "But it's like I said earlier, I want it to be something that lasts far longer than you're capable of."

"So... what then?" Sofia said with a huff. "You're just going to touch me all night?"

Cedric pulled back and looked up at his wife, her irritation evident. "I suppose if you don't want me to, I won't."

"I-I didn't say that." Sofia stammered out. "I just meant that I'm ready for more."

"And I have more to give." Cedric said with a small smirk. "But you must be patient and let me get you to where you need to be. That means allowing me to build up your tolerance as well as train your body so that you won't feel pain." He watched her as he placed little pecks against her flesh and slid his hand dangerously close to the moist haven between her legs. She still looked irritable but he could see her features softening and her eyes glossed over as he drummed his fingers tauntingly slow at the apex of her thigh "Will you let me?"

Sofia groaned and bit her bottom lip. Those eyes of his were pleading and hungry and making her feel more than just anger that he was refusing her sex. She relented with a sigh and shifted to give him unobstructed access to her.

As he drove his fingers within her once again and pressed his mouth hotly against her sensitive bundle of need she threw her head back with a loud, throaty moan.

She tried telling herself that this was merely for the sake of breaking the encroachment charm. She needed to give him sex to do so and he wouldn't accept her sex until he felt she was ready. _That_ was the only reason this was happening, she insisted inwardly. It was the only reason she would allow herself to give and the only one she would accept. But deep down, somewhere in the darkest reaches of her mind, she knew it was a bit more than that too...

Though, admitting to it just might be the end of her.


	13. Keep Your Eyes Peeled

AN: So I've hit a point in this story (a few chapters from here) where it can go one of two ways. One road is incredibly convoluted and long and leads to places I'm not entirely sure of. The other road is simple and well planned out and much, much shorter. I have literally no idea which way to go.

I'm debating on whether there is enough interest in this story to make it _worth_ going down the long, complicated road. (I have a handful of plot bunnies hopping around in my head that also want their time to shine.)

I don't know what to do so I'm leaving it up to you lovely readers. If you'd like to see this story wrapped up fairly soon let me know. Or if you're in it for the long haul, let me know that too! Just let me know soon because I am standing at this fork in the road with my hands in the air like Ricky Bobby. _"I'm not sure what to do with my hands."_

Hopefully I'll have another update for you Friday or Saturday morning! Anyhow, please enjoy and let me know what you think!

* * *

Sofia opened one eye slowly to the light of the sun peering in through the window. She could feel its warm rays dancing along the flesh of her exposed lower half and blood rushed instantly to her face as she remembered why she was so scantily clad. She buried her face in the pillow on which her head rested as the memories came rushing back to her all at once.

Seven times. He had made her cum seven times and each time had been more delectable than the last.

A groan found its way out of her throat and muffled itself against the pillow. Damn him. He wasn't even touching her and already her body was on fire. She wondered if it was a terribly poor idea to trouble him for some heavy petting so soon after waking but she quickly realized that she didn't feel him in bed with her.

She pushed herself up and looked around the room to see that he was nowhere in sight. Her gaze snapped over to his spot in the bed but it was empty, save for a note addressed to her. She picked up the parchment and read it over silently, though she could hear his voice in her mind.

 _My beautiful wife, you looked so peaceful sleeping I didn't want to disturb you. As badly as I wanted to remain by your side this morning I had to slip away to tend to my duties. Rest assured that you will be on my mind today as you are everyday. I hope to see you again this evening._

The way her heart pounded as she read over the note was disconcerting to say the least. She quickly folded the parchment into a tiny little square in an effort to forget the words she'd read there. She then stood and started languidly toward the door. Surely Abigail would be by soon with her breakfast and she didn't think she could face the servant girl if she was caught in Cedric's room a second morning.

She looked out into the hall and made certain it was clear before darting across to her room. Once she was inside she quickly removed Cedric's nightshirt and kicked it under her bed before pulling out a nightgown to cover her body. She then climbed into bed and sat as though she'd been there all night.

Minutes ticked by and there was no sign of her chambermaid so she looked for something else to busy herself. The spell book she'd taken from Cedric's workshop was still on her bedside table so she grabbed it and opened it, though she knew she likely wouldn't find what she needed within the pages.

Finally there came a knock at her door. She called out that it was open and smiled widely as she saw Abigail peer in. "Good morning, Abigail."

"Good afternoon, Your Majesty." Abigail said with a small laugh.

"A-afternoon?" Sofia stammered, her face paling. "What do you mean?"

"It's afternoon." Abigail replied with a shrug. "I brought your lunch. I'm sure you must be hungry after sleeping through breakfast."

"I slept through breakfast?" Sofia asked, though it was less of a question and more of a horrified statement.

"The king said you would likely be very tired and he wanted to let you sleep." Abigail said, smiling widely. "He told me not to disturb you but I wanted to check on you anyhow. When I saw you weren't in his room anymore I-"

"Oh my goodness." Sofia buried her face in her hands, a bright blush coming across her features. "You saw me in his room?"

"Well, yes." Abigail replied, nodding slowly. "After the other night I just assumed-"

"Abigail, about that..." Sofia started but she was finding it hard to express what she needed to say.

Abigail giggled at the queen's loss of words. "You don't have to explain anything to me, Your Majesty. I may be the only one but I'm rooting for you and the king. I think it's wonderful that you two are finding your way together in spite of everything."

"Abigail, it _isn't_ like that." Sofia said insistently. "Cedric is a monster. He took over the kingdom, brought my family to ruin, imprisoned me in a cell for over half my life and sent my sister to a lunatic asylum! I hate that man!"

Abigail's brow furrowed at the queen's words. "I don't understand. Why would you keep returning to his room every night if you hate him so much? I-is that part of the deal you made with him?"

"No." Sofia said bitterly. "It's something far too complicated to explain. But even if I could explain it, I couldn't tell you."

"You can tell me anything and everything, Your Majesty." Abigail offered with a smile.

"No I can't. You don't tell _me_ everything." Sofia retorted. "You won't tell me what you know about Cedric's secret."

"Th-that's not fair, Your Majesty." Abigail said nervously. "I really want to tell you but it's not my secret to tell. I know the king would fire me in an instant if I told you. I don't want to lose my job."

"It isn't as though I would tell him." Sofia replied, crossing her arms over her chest.

Abigail sighed and shook her head. "Believe me, Your Majesty, you wouldn't be able to keep it to yourself."

Sofia narrowed her gaze at the servant girl but she was only avoiding eye contact. The queen huffed and looked away from Abigail angrily. "When you go back downstairs I want you to send Jonathan up. I need to speak with him. My husband is _not to know_."

"Y-yes, Your Majesty." Abigail said sadly as she curtsied to the woman. She pushed the cart of food over to Sofia's bedside before scurrying for the exit.

Sofia watched from the corner of her eye as Abigail left the room. A part of her felt bad for being so sharp toward the chambermaid but she was irritable at the idea that the girl was hoping for her and Cedric to find common ground with each other. Hadn't she made her dislike of him evident enough?

She lifted the cloche from her food and ate sparingly as she waited for another knock on the door. When it came she called once again that the door was open. Jonathan stepped in immediately and she could tell by his demeanor that he was incredibly nervous.

"Y-your Majesty?" Jonathan said with a quick bow. "Abbs said you needed to see me."

"I have an important job for you, Jonathan." Sofia said, standing to advance toward the captain of the guard. "You know I intend to kill Cedric.."

"You shouldn't be telling me shit like that, Your Majesty." Jonathan said quietly, glancing behind him. "But yes, I know."

"I still plan to, it's just a lot more complicated than it needs to be and it's going to take a while." Sofia continued. "In the meantime, I need you to look into something for me. The king and Abigail have a secret they're keeping from me. Cedric says he'll tell me one day and Abigail says she can't tell me at all. I need to know what it is."

Jonathan blinked widely at the queen. "You want me to spy for you?"

"You're the only person I can trust right now, Jonathan." Sofia said with a sigh. "Abigail won't tell me anything. I'm beginning to think she's much more loyal to Cedric than I once thought. You on the other hand have been very helpful to me. I trust you to do this."

"But even still... I'm not a spy. And I don't think I'd make a very good one." Jonathan retorted. "And if Abbs won't tell _you_ she sure as hell isn't going to tell _me_."

"Chances are you may already know what the secret is." Sofia replied. "I can't imagine Cedric only telling my chambermaid and Abigail said Cedric trusts you with almost everything."

Jonathan shook his head. "The king may trust me with a lot of important things but secrets are typically not one of those things.

Sofia's brow furrowed and she looked at the ground in thought. "Maybe he wouldn't pose it to you as a secret. Maybe he didn't think he needed to tell you it was secret because he doesn't think you would bother to tell me."

"Do you have any inkling what it could be?" Jonathan asked.

"Abigail said it was something that would probably make me very happy." Sofia answered. "I can't imagine anything to do with that man could make me happy but that's what she said."

"Hmm." Jonathan paused in thought before giving a shrug to the queen. "Hell, I don't know, Your Majesty. That girl thinks the whole world consists of rainbows and sunshine. She's probably a poor judge on what would make you happy."

"That's not far from the truth." Sofia said in annoyance. "But even still, that's all I have to go off of. Does anything come to mind?"

Jonathan reached up to scratch his head. "Honestly, I'm drawing a blank."

"Try to think, Jonathan." Sofia pleaded. "Try to think of _anything_ Cedric may have told you in confidence, even if it seemed like it wasn't important. Anything regarding me or... or anything at all."

"I can't think of a single thing." Jonathan replied. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty. But really, what does it matter? If you're going to go ahead with your _plan_ why do you care what the king's secret is?"

"Because if Abigail is right and it _is_ something that would make me happy it might have to do with my family. Maybe he's working on a cure for them. Or maybe he plans to release them." Sofia said, allowing herself a small sense of hope at the thought.

"With all due respect, you can't be _that_ dumb." Jonathan said, shaking his head at the queen. "This is the king we're talking about. I mean, you've seen what he's capable of. Not to mention it would be really stupid of him to do either of those things. He'd be relinquishing his control over you and that's not an option for him."

Sofia sighed and crossed her arms. "It has to be _something_ , Jonathan. Abigail said-"

"She's obviously a loyalist." Jonathan said, cutting the queen off. "I told you, they're everywhere. And you can't always trust what they say. They'll say what the king wants them to say. He may just want your brain all tangled up around some supposed secret that might not even exist as a distraction or to keep you beholden to him."

"You could be right." Sofia answered with a shrug. "But there could also be something. That's why I need you to keep an eye out. Can you do that for me?"

"Damn it." Jonathan grumbled under his breath. "I don't really wanna get involved in this."

"I... I guess I understand." Sofia said, looking away from the captain of the guard in a bit of shame. "You've already put your neck out to help me a lot. I shouldn't have asked you to spy for me."

"No, you shouldn't have." Jonathan replied. "But I appreciate your understanding, Your Majesty."

"It's Sofia." The queen said softly.

Jonathan cocked an eyebrow at the young woman in confusion. "What?"

"It's my name. The only person here who calls me by my name anymore is Cedric." Sofia said, casting Jonathan a sad smile. "But I like you, Jonathan. I think we could be friends and all my friends call me by my name. I want you to as well."

"Fucking hell." Jonathan said with a chuckle. "You're gonna guilt trip me into being your little spy."

Sofia blinked widely up at Jonathan in shock. "N-no, that's not it at all! I was being genuine!"

"Whatever you say, _Sofia_." Jonathan replied, winking at the queen. "Listen, I'll try to find out this secret for you, but I'm not making any promises. Now, I should probably get the hell out of here before somebody notices me gone. I'll slip you a note if I learn anything at all."

"Thank you!" Sofia said happily. She smiled at the captain of the guard as he started out of her bedroom before deciding to call out to him. "Oh, and Jonathan... I really did mean what I said. I really do think we could be friends."

"I know you do, Sofia." Jonathan said as he cast a wave over his shoulder. "I know you do."


	14. The Heart's Filthy Lesson

AN: Oh, this chapter... *sigh*

So the verdict is in and I decided to go with the much longer road for this story. Rest assured, I will also give you a brief summary of how I planned the shorter road to go at the end of the story. The conclusion will be the same but the path we're taking there is far more adventurous!

I appreciate all your input! You guys are fantastic! Nothing but love for you all!

Also, I'll be out of town this weekend which means I won't be getting any writing done which further means there won't be a second chapter this weekend. You'll have to wait until Wednesday for an update. Sorry! :(

I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I do! Please let me know what you're thinking!

* * *

Sofia let out a heavy sigh as she looked out her window. It was late evening and there was still no word from Jonathan about Cedric's secret. She wanted to be patient but she felt as though she was running out of time. Baileywick would be back to check on her progress the very next day and she hadn't made any. She hadn't even gotten a hair from Cedric, let alone been able to give herself to him or obtain his blood.

Lucinda's instructions lay open on top of her bed right next to Cedric's folded up note. Both items were plaguing her.

She'd never felt more conflicted in her life. Deep down she knew that she had to kill Cedric and she had to do it soon. Waiting much longer would only cause complications. Her feelings on the matter were beginning to muddy as it was and that was a real problem.

She returned to her bed and picked up Lucinda's parchment to fold it back up. She then picked up Cedric's note and opened it, reading the words over again.

 _My beautiful wife..._

It kept sticking in her head like a favorite tune. In her mind she heard his voice say it so sweetly, barely above a whisper like when he would speak to her with his mouth pressed against her throat.

She shivered at the thought and rolled her shoulders and head back as though shaking the ghost of him from her form. She needed to end this.

Her eyes scanned over the final statement on the paper.

 _I hope to see you again this evening._

She returned the note to its folded up state and tucked both pieces of parchment under her mattress right next to Jonathan's dagger. She then started out of her room and into the hall toward her husband's bedroom.

She stared at Cedric's door, her mind and body in turmoil. She was shaking with nerves but still determined that she was going to finally move forward with her plan, whatever the cost. She pushed the door open slowly and peered in to find him sitting right where she'd expected him; on his bed reading his book like he usually was.

His eyes flickered up to meet hers and a smile crossed his face. She did her best to return the smile with one of her own, though she worried it might look too forced.

"Good evening, Sofia." Cedric said quietly. "I'm glad you're here. I missed you today."

"Missed me?" Sofia asked, her brow furrowing in confusion as she advanced hesitantly toward the bed. "I've been here all day."

"Yes, but I still missed your presence. It seems I've grown quite accustomed to having you by my side, my dear." Cedric replied. "I'll be relieved when you make a full recovery. It will be nice to have you downstairs with the rest of us. You won't be so far from reach."

Sofia took a seat on the bed and sat watching him quietly. She twiddled her thumbs, expecting him to continue the conversation but he only sat in silence and kept reading. It appeared it was up to her to keep some form of communication going. "I-I see you're still reading that book."

"I am indeed." Cedric said with a nod.

"Have you found what you're looking for yet?" Sofia asked.

"I wouldn't be reading it if I had, my dear." Cedric answered, giving his wife a lopsided smile.

Sofia chewed the inside of her cheek in annoyance. He always seemed to skirt around the things she was curious about. "Are you ever going to tell me what you're looking for or is that a secret too?"

Cedric cast a quick glance at the woman and let out a heavy sigh. "If you must know, I was looking for a spell that would remove the scarring 'round your ankles, assuming such a spell actually exists."

"O-oh." Sofia looked up at Cedric, caught off guard by the idea that he was looking to do something nice for her.

"It was meant to be a surprise for you." Cedric explained. "But now that you know you mustn't get your hopes up. I'm not finding much in the realm of removing deep-seated injuries."

"Is that the secret Abigail has been keeping for you?" Sofia asked in interest.

Cedric removed his glasses from his face and looked his wife over. He debated on whether or not to lie to her before choosing to just be honest. "No, I haven't spoken to your chambermaid about this."

Sofia blinked at him in thought for a moment. She wondered if she ought to press him more about his secret but quickly decided against it. "W-well, if you can't find a way to get rid of the scars it doesn't matter. I've already accepted that I'll have them for the rest of my life."

"I don't want you to have them." Cedric spoke quietly. "They're wretched. They're also entirely my fault and they should have never occurred. It's the least I can do to try and remove them."

Sofia glanced down at her ankles peeking out from the bottom of her nightgown. They were indeed hideous but she and Abigail were really the only ones to ever see them. All of her gowns were floor length and it wasn't as though she went anywhere to bare her feet anyhow. "They don't really bother me."

"They bother _me_." Cedric snapped. "They're a constant reminder. One I'd like to remove."

Sofia tensed at the tone of her husband's voice. There were layers of emotion underneath the anger but it was still the most prevalent. She pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them tightly as she gave a meek response. "Removing the physical scar doesn't heal the emotional one, Cedric."

"Don't you think I know that?" Cedric grumbled, looking down at his wife in discomfort. "But I have to start somewhere."

Sofia looked away from the man, clutching her legs against herself. There was a long period of silence between them that seemed to stretch out forever. She knew she had to say something. If she didn't the whole evening would be spent awkwardly not speaking to each other and that wouldn't help her plan along at all. "Cedric-"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap." Cedric said, putting the book and glasses aside. "I-I'm not proud of what I've done to you, Sofia. I'd give anything in the world to take it all back. Unfortunately, no such magic exists. I can only try to make up for the things I _can_ fix." He reached out and pressed his hand to her cheek, using it to bring her gaze back to his. "Forgive my outburst. I don't want to spend this evening with you upset at me."

"I'm... not upset with you." Sofia said and she paused to think about her words. _Was_ she upset with Cedric? While she certainly despised him for everything he'd done to her and her family she supposed she couldn't begrudge him the raw emotion he felt at his own vile actions. He seemed genuinely remorseful for what he'd done and it was the first time she'd seen anything resembling _real_ regret from him. If she was honest, it was a bit of a relief to know he felt that way.

She didn't know what else to say to him then so she offered a small smile to alleviate the tension, hoping beyond all hope that she could salvage the night. An uneasy smile crossed his features and he pressed his hand more securely against her face.

"I don't deserve you, Sofia." Cedric said before pressing his lips to his wife's forehead. He pulled back and moved to kiss her cheek, muttering to her softly. "But I'm going to do whatever it takes to change that."

Sofia's breath caught in her throat at Cedric's words. His voice was so tender, just like she'd imagined when she read his note. A shiver ran through her at the tone of sincerity there.

She moved to drape her arms over his shoulders and turned her head just slightly to the side to capture his mouth with hers. She parted her lips to invite him to deepen the kiss and he did so happily. His tongue moved slowly across hers, tempting a tiny moan from her throat.

She felt his hand move from her face to her thigh. His fingers were twitching against the fabric of her nightgown and it seemed as though he was waiting for an invitation. She pulled back from their kiss and stared up at him a bit apprehensively. "Tonight... _please_."

Cedric snickered at his wife's way of asking for sex. Her shyness about the matter was quite charming, even if her motive for wanting it was not. He supposed he should finally appease her. He was running out of excuses for denying her at this point anyhow and whatever she was planning, it didn't seem to involve his demise.

He pushed the nightgown up slowly above her hips and paused, looking down at her for permission to remove it entirely. He watched her reach up to the tie at her chest and give the ribbon a quick tug. He wrapped his hands in the intrusive fabric and pushed it slowly up her body and over her head to reveal her nude form beneath.

She didn't act as timid as she had been the night before. She didn't make any effort to cover herself, though he could tell by her body language that she still felt exposed in his presence.

Her hands were moving toward him, however, entangling themselves in his nightshirt. He smiled and allowed her to return the favor of undressing him. Once the cumbersome tunic was out of their way he pulled her close to feel the softness of her skin against his.

She smelled of lavender this evening. Coupled with her natural aroma, it was intoxicating.

He shifted to lie back and pulled her to straddle his lap. He wanted to look up at her, to see her above him in all her unabridged beauty. She was blushing cherry red and trying terribly hard to avoid his gaze. He reached up and placed his fingertips against her cheek. "Look at me, Sofia."

Sofia's eyes darted back to Cedric. He had such an amorous expression on his face and though it should have been unsettling, it only made her heart race. She felt his fingers trailing away from her face, down her shoulder and arm to clasp her hand. He brought the appendage to rest against his chest where she could feel his heart pounding against her palm.

Her own heartbeat was echoing his in intensity, pulsing against her rib cage as though it was trying to escape. She placed her other hand against his chest and slid them both forward to cup the back of his neck. She leaned down and brushed her lips over his.

She could feel him beginning to tremble beneath her. There was a smidgen of satisfaction she received from being the one to make him quake with desire for a change. A pleased hum rose in her throat as he parted his lips anxiously and she could feel his bottom lip quivering against hers. She let her tongue slip past the open barrier to kiss him tauntingly.

She had him right where she wanted him.

Cedric moaned into his wife's mouth. She was snaking her arms around him to pull him close and he was weak to every bit of her touch. He managed to let his hand slide up her thigh until he reached the soft, damp folds of her womanhood. He ran his fingers across the sensitive flesh there before tucking them deeply within her. She let out a delicious gasp and he took the moment to grab her and roll her over. He looked down at her to see her eyes wide and swimming with many emotions. Fear didn't seem to be amongst them.

He watched her face as he readied her. Her lashes began to flutter with each gentle caress, unable to mask the pleasure slowly working its way through her body. She was panting heavily and he noticed that the corners of her mouth appeared to be upturned. A wide grin skipped its way across his features as he dipped his head to taste her throat.

"Cedric..." Sofia managed to croak out as she clenched the sheets beneath her. "Are we going to-"

"Yes, my queen." Cedric purred, pulling back to nuzzle her neck. "But I want to ready you. I want to make sure you feel the best you've ever felt, so I'm not going to rush things."

Sofia whimpered at Cedric's words. What he said and what he meant were two entirely different things and she was smart enough by now to catch on to what lie between. When he said he wasn't going to rush things he really meant that he was going to tease her to the brink of insanity before finally giving her what she was after.

He was going to put her through his own special kind of torture, though she supposed it could have been much, much worse.

His lips were pressing ever so sweetly against her chin and jawline as he continued to work his fingers back and forth inside her. She sighed softly, allowing the need he was stirring up within her to fully take hold.

Cedric smiled against his wife's flesh as he placed little pecks around her neck and face. He was still probing gently and her body was reacting fiercely to the stimulation. She was arching against his touch and small, involuntary moans began escaping from her beautifully parted lips.

He had her right where he wanted her.

He pulled back from her only long enough to remove his trousers and as he did so he caught the sight of her wriggling ever so slightly on the bed. It appeared as though she didn't want to be without his hands on her body. It was a sentiment they both seemed to share. He clasped her eagerly and pulled her against him as he placed a hungry kiss on her mouth.

He wondered if he ought to continue easing her walls open and prepare her further for their contact. After all, he didn't want to risk causing her any undue pain. But the way her body rose to meet his beckoned him to throw caution to the wind. He was going to take her.

Sofia felt Cedric shifting around, parting her legs easily with his own. He was hovering above her and she pulled back from their kiss long enough to look up at him. "Is it time?"

"Yes, it's time." Cedric whispered. He lowered himself down carefully, pressing his body over hers. He was poised at her entrance, anxious and racked with nerves when doubt began to crawl in. He felt at odds with himself. He knew she was only coming to him in this way because she planned to accomplish _something_ from it. He'd allowed it to continue simply for the fact that he wanted her. He'd played dumb, pretending not to realize she was up to something but if he let her continue at this point there would be no going back for either of them. "A-are you sure you want this, Sofia? Once we do this... it's forever."

"I know it is." Sofia said on a whisper, trying to swallow the lump that was now rising in her throat at the idea that she was about to give Cedric, the man she loathed, the one thing she could never reclaim. "But I'm ready."

Cedric inhaled deeply and pressed the tip of his length against the soft haven awaiting him. He pushed forward slowly, careful not to give his wife any discomfort.

Sofia lulled her head to the side and made small gasps for air as she felt Cedric slipping within her. It was an entirely different sensation than his fingers. It felt fuller, more complete, though it also pained her a bit despite all that he'd done to prevent that. She was thankful when he finally buried himself fully and stayed completely motionless to allow her body to adjust.

Cedric held himself up on trembling limbs to watch Sofia's reaction. She was looking elsewhere in the room, panting lightly as her walls around him shivered. He couldn't help but wonder what was going on in her mind. Was she already regretting this? Was she just trying to imagine she was anywhere else? He was too afraid to ask her and too afraid to try and press forward so he just stared at her in uncertainty.

He wasn't moving, she noted as she stared off into the distance. She could feel the warmth of his breath washing over her but other than his heaving chest, he wasn't moving a muscle. Whatever was holding him back was unclear but she hoped he got over it. She hadn't come this far for nothing.

She rolled her head back to look up at him, his face dressed in something akin to worry. She reached up to clasp the back of his neck and pulled him into a needy kiss. This seemed to break whatever spell he was under. He began thrusting carefully within her, patient so as not to cause her any undue pain.

Cedric slipped his arms around his wife to pull her close. He placed one hand at the small of her back to deepen himself within her. The other hand ran itself up to cup the back of her head. Holding her so close against him caused his already pounding heart to beat erratically. How he had wanted this for so very, very long.

He could feel every light tremor in her body as he rocked himself back and forth against her. Each plunge brought a small cry from her lips. It was the most beautiful thing he'd ever heard in his life.

Sofia took several deep breaths but each time Cedric buried himself deep inside her it seemed to take the breath away in the form of a loud whimper. The pain was ever-present, though it was dulling more and more as time flitted by. Perhaps he hadn't been wrong to make her wait. Perhaps training her body to accept his hadn't been a selfish tool of torture after all. She couldn't imagine how badly it might have hurt otherwise.

She felt his hand against her face, brushing a few stray hairs aside as he stopped his movements within her. Her eyes darted to his to see him looking down at her in concern.

"Are you okay?" Cedric asked softly.

"I'm fine." Sofia answered before pausing in thought. She looked up at him curiously. "C-can you feel my pain?"

"I can." Cedric said with a nod. "Though, I have a very high tolerance for pain so it's hard for me to gauge how it's making you feel. I don't want you to suffer."

"I'm not suffering." Sofia replied, shaking her head. "The pain is dull. I don't mind it so much."

"Are you certain?" Cedric continued, afraid to pester her but even more afraid to harm her. "All I want is to make you feel good."

"It _does_ feel good." Sofia admitted reluctantly. "Especially when you a-ah!"

He had begun thrusting again, cutting her words off with her own sounds of pleasure. She would've liked to have been irritated with him but he was _so deep_ within her, stirring her desire to the point of pitiful moans ejecting themselves from her wide open mouth.

She gripped his arm tightly, nails digging into the flesh there. Whatever pain remained from their contact seemed minuscule against the length of him driving in and out of her.

Cedric could feel Sofia's walls completely giving way around him. The pain he'd felt seeping from her was nonexistent at this point, giving way to pure pleasure. It was impossible to know who's pleasure he was feeling; hers or his own.

He decided to pick up the pace a bit, to give her a small taste of all the things he had in store for her if she chose to continue coming to him this way. He grabbed a pillow from behind her head and lifted her up just long enough to place it underneath her, angling her up so that he could gain deeper access. He began thrusting again, delighting in the slight change of sensation.

She seemed entirely receptive of this. Her hands were pulling him closer and her legs were shifting to wrap around him. All of it was damn near overwhelming and he found he had to pause their movements again, this time for fear of losing himself. He pulled back, his face red in embarrassment as he looked at her apologetically. "G-give me a moment. Please."

Sofia blinked up at him in confusion before realization hit her. She cocked an eyebrow and gave him a knowing smile. "Who was it you said needs to work on their stamina?"

"I-I can't help it." Cedric said with a nervous laugh. "The way you feel, the way you look... e-everything about you has me so on edge."

"So let go." Sofia offered quietly.

"No, not yet." Cedric shook his head and thumbed over his wife's cheek. "I want to be the one to make you cum. Not the other way around."

"I don't see why it matters, Cedric." Sofia muttered, rocking her hips slightly to urge him to continue.

"It matters." Cedric insisted. "It matters more than you'll ever know."

Sofia fell silent, uncertain of exactly what he meant. She didn't see what the issue was. Whether he made her climax or the other way around, they'd both be getting pleasure. But she supposed it might be a sense of pride for him not to lose himself so quickly, especially after the big to-do he'd made about her inability to last longer than a few minutes.

So she lay still, impatient as he placed tiny kisses against her throat and shoulder. She was slightly annoyed with him initially but she could see the look on his face. He was glancing at her between kisses and he looked absolutely petrified. She could feel how tense he was against her and she knew he was likely concerned that she was thinking poorly of him.

An immense desire to put his mind at ease flooded over her.

She grabbed his face between her hands and pulled him into a soft, longing kiss. The tension in his body seemed to melt away instantly, leaving him practically liquid against her. She trailed a hand to stroke gently up and down his spine and she received a shiver from him.

She brought her hips up slowly against his in an effort to entice him to do the same. He seemed reluctant at first but she persisted, grinding upward until he met her movements with his own.

Cedric pushed himself upright, kneeling now between his wife's legs as he drove the length of himself slowly inside her. She was staring up at him, her eyes full of more need than she could ever convey verbally. He brought his hand between them and placed his palm against the inside if her thigh. He let his thumb trail up her dampened folds until he found her clit, earning a loud gasp in response. He ran his thumb, slick with her essence, in small circles against the sensitive bud.

Sofia couldn't help the jerking reaction her body gave each time a jolt of pleasure went coursing through her. She was writhing against his touch, bucking wildly against him as he continued his efforts to satisfy her.

She could feel her climax building and she realized that she had also felt when he had come to the edge earlier. The two sensations were similar, though what she was feeling now was far more intense. Perhaps that was why he'd stopped before... he knew the release was much more potent when it was one's own. He wanted her to feel her own orgasm, not his.

Confused emotions began to cloud her mind but she tried not to think on them. All she wanted was release.

She grabbed hold of his arm and pulled herself up, grasping desperately at what she could to bring herself closer to him. She buried her face in the crook of his neck as she clung to him. "Cedric, please don't stop!"

Cedric felt heat wash over him at his wife's needful plea. She was on the cusp of an orgasm, he could feel, but his own was now building on top of that. He moved his hands to grip her tightly, one slipping to cup her rear and pull her up off the pillow while the other snaked around her back and clamped down on her shoulder.

He gritted his teeth, doing his best to stay upright as their necessitous grinding brought them both closer to climax.

Then he felt it happen... her orgasm, or his. Maybe it was his because it felt so powerful, but then she was crying out louder than she ever had before, nails digging into his flesh as her walls milked him with their delicate tremor.

He could remain upright no longer.

They toppled down onto the mattress together, still riding out the waves of their mutual gratification. He didn't want to pull away from her, though the part of him that needed to know if she was alright was already pushing himself up to stare down at her. He placed a trembling hand against her cheek and tried to find his voice. "Are you-"

"I'm fine." Sofia cut him off, anticipating his words before he could speak them. He was staring down at her, gasping for breath much like herself. He looked as though he had a mouthful of words he wanted to say but no way to force them out. Instead he lowered his head to nuzzle against her shoulder. She raised her hand to cup the back of his head and ran her fingers through his silky black locks. "How are _you_ feeling?"

"Wonderful, my love." Cedric managed, smiling against her flesh.

Sofia's heart dropped at Cedric's words and she pushed herself up despite the weight of him on top of her. "What did you say?"

"I said I'm wonderful." Cedric replied, his brow crinkling at the sudden paleness of her face. "What-"

"Not that." Sofia said, shaking her head. "You said... you called me-"

"My love." Cedric replied, realizing the term that had fallen from his lips. It hadn't been a purposeful statement but he meant it all the same. He shrugged and raised the back of his hand against her cheek to caress her sweetly. "I love you, Sofia. Such an endearment shouldn't come as a shock."

Sofia shook her head again, this time almost violently. "No. No, you don't love me. You're just... just swept up in the moment."

Cedric frowned and looked his wife over. She looked petrified, like a deer staring down a hunter's bow and arrow. He reached for her but she pulled back rapidly, backing away from him almost as though she feared pain from his touch. "Sofia, I'm not going to hurt you. I love y-"

"Stop it." Sofia whispered, tears coming to her eyes. "Don't say that."

"Sofia..." Cedric stuck his hand out toward her again but she jumped from the bed and scurried toward the door. "Sofia, wait!"

But Sofia wasn't going to wait. She wasn't going to even bother to collect her nightgown. She threw the door open and bolted across the hall into her own room. Once inside she locked the door and rushed over to her bed to grab the dagger out from where she'd hidden it.

She then sat, staring at the door as she waited for Cedric to try and enter like she knew he would. She heard the sound of him trying the latch but he was unsuccessful. He then began pounding on the door, calling her name and pleading that she let him in.

Tears were pouring down her face as she sat with the dagger clenched between both hands.

It was only a matter of time, she reasoned, before he left to fetch his wand and returned to unlock the door by magic. Eventually he stopped trying to reason with her to open the door and she heard the smacks of his bare feet on the tile as he stormed back across the hall.

She held her breath and waited, trembling in anticipation for him to come bursting through the door at any minute. But he never did. Time passed by at a crawl but she heard nothing more from him. After a while she felt braver. She rose from her bed, dagger still clenched in hand as she made her way over to the door.

She unlocked it cautiously and opened it a crack just to peek out.

There was no sign of life on the other side. Just his door across the hall, closed and staring at her menacingly. She closed her own door and locked it once again before rushing to her closet. She grabbed a gown and pulled it on before strapping the dagger's sheath to her leg. She placed the blade back in its sheath, slipped some shoes on her feet and started back out of her room.

The first few steps past Cedric's bedroom were terrifying but she managed them silently. Once she was far enough away she slipped into the passageway to the library and walked along with a purpose. From the library she made her way in search of Jonathan. If he was making his nightly rounds it would only be a matter of time before she ran into him in the same place she had the night she tried to kill Cedric.

She headed there and waited.

Hours ticked by before she finally caught sight of the captain of the guard. She stepped from the shadows and reached out to grab his arm.

"Shit!" Jonathan hissed as the queen caught him off guard. He whirled around to face her, whispering scoldingly. "You can't sneak up on me like that."

"I'm sorry. I just needed to talk to you." Sofia whispered back. "Jonathan, I can't do this anymore. I... I need to get out of here and I want to take what remains of my family with me."

"Sofia, that's never going to happen." Jonathan replied with a sigh. "The king has guards all over the grounds. Look, I could sneak you out by yourself but bringing the others with us is impossible."

"You're the captain of the guard." Sofia retorted. "The guards have to listen to you too. If you send them somewhere else-"

"They'll get suspicious and not a one of them would hesitate to roll over on me and take my job while sending me to the gallows." Jonathan paused and rubbed his throat worriedly. "Actually, the gallows might not be so bad compared to what the king would do to me."

"I'm not leaving without my family." Sofia insisted. "Will you help me or not?"

"I can't." Jonathan replied. "Why don't you continue with your _plan_? At least that way-"

"I've been trying. But things are complicated." Sofia muttered, wrapping her arms tightly around herself. "Way more complicated than they should have become. And I feel like I'm wavering. I don't know if I have it in me to kill him. I did at one time but... but everything is changing now and I don't know if I can bring myself to do it anymore. H-he told me he loves me."

"And you believe him?" Jonathan asked with a scoff. "Sofia-"

"I know." Sofia said, shaking her head at her own foolishness. "I know I shouldn't believe a word that comes from his mouth but the way he was looking at me... I-I can't describe it. That's why I need to just leave. I need to get my family and get out of here."

"Like I said, not going to happen. Your family can barely walk on their own. You'd have to wheel them right out the front gate and there's no way that's going to go unnoticed." Jonathan replied. "I'm sorry, Sofia. The only way your family is getting out of here is over the king's dead body. You need to think long and hard about what's most important to you and go from there. Trying to escape at night when the castle is most heavily guarded is not an option."

Sofia blinked up at Jonathan, his words striking her with an idea. "Going at night isn't an option, but what about during the day?"

"What?" Jonathan looked at the queen in disbelief. "You can't be serious."

"I am." Sofia said with a smile. "Cedric keeps them locked up at night but he has Abigail tending to them during the day. If there aren't as many guards on duty during the day as there are at night it should be a lot easier."

"There may not be as many but there's still a lot." Jonathan said with a sigh. "It's probably not going to work either."

"We'll see about that, won't we?" Sofia said with a smirk. She took a step backward from Jonathan and started back toward her room. "I'll see you tomorrow, Jonathan. Meet me at one o'clock in the library."

"Sofia!" Jonathan whispered shrilly, calling after the retreating queen, though she didn't seem to hear him as she disappeared from sight. "Ah, fuck."


	15. Monster (Part One)

AN: So I decided to divide this chapter into two parts. I'm posting the first half today and the second half on Friday morning.

So much goes on here I felt that it was best if I break it up into two pieces to give you guys (and myself) time to process it all.

Thanks to those of you still reading, especially those who take the time to review. It means a lot and I love you for it more than you know. Please enjoy this chapter and tell me what you think.

* * *

Sofia awoke to the sound of a knock. She bolted from the bed, dagger still strapped to her thigh, and rushed over to press her body against the door. "Who's there?"

"Abigail, Your Majesty." The chambermaid called out from the other side.

" _Just_ you?" Sofia asked.

"I'm all alone, Your Majesty." Abigail replied.

Sofia took a deep breath and unlocked the door, opening it enough so that Abigail could enter with her cart of food before she slammed the door shut and locked it once more. "Have you seen Cedric this morning?"

"He's downstairs." Abigail said, looking the queen over in confusion. "Is everything alright, Your Majesty? You look affright."

"You don't need to worry about it." Sofia muttered, making her way back over to her bed to take a seat.

Abigail watched the queen in silent thought for a moment before reaching into her apron pocket to produce a small envelope. "The king asked me to give this to you."

Sofia's gaze snapped up to the envelope in Abigail's hand and she batted it away. "I don't want that."

A small sigh fell from Abigail's lips as she knelt to pick up the envelope. "I know you're rather upset with me after yesterday, Your Majesty, but if there's something you need to talk about, I'm here."

"Did you know Cedric is looking for a way to get rid of the scarring on my ankles?" Sofia asked, raising her gaze to the chambermaid.

"I didn't know." Abigail shook her head and gave the queen a small smile. "I don't know how you think things are between the king and I, but he doesn't tell me much. Only what is necessary for me to know."

"The secret..." Sofia said, turning her gaze to the ground. "That was necessary for you to know?"

"For my part in it, yes." Abigail said with a nod. "Though I wish he hadn't involved me. Then you wouldn't be mad at me."

"I'm not mad at you, Abigail." Sofia said with a sigh. "I was a little annoyed that you wouldn't tell me what the secret is considering you were the one who brought it up. But what upset me most was hearing you talk about Cedric and me as though we were..."

Abigail watched the queen as she trailed off. "As though you were what, Your Majesty?"

"I used to care about Cedric so much." Sofia said sadly. "For so long I thought he could do no wrong. I trusted him fully and thought he was one of the best men I knew... but then he broke my heart. He tried to take over the kingdom and he probably would've been successful if it hadn't been for that silly little soft spot in his heart that he had for me. Still, brokenhearted as I was, I forgave him. I let myself trust him again and that was my mistake. I guess it shouldn't have come as a surprise when he locked me away during his second attempt. Out of sight, out of mind. It was the logical thing to do if he didn't want me to get hurt. But the irony is that locking me away like that hurt far worse than anything else he could have done. He left me sitting in a cell for years without even the decency of an apology. Hatred began growing in my heart for the man I once adored so much. You can't begin to imagine how that feels."

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty." Abigail said, bowing her head in shame. "I was being thoughtless with what I said yesterday. You have every reason to be upset with me."

"No, I really don't." Sofia returned her gaze to the chambermaid. "What you said yesterday scared me, Abigail. The idea that Cedric and I could find peace with each other in spite of everything that has happened is terrifying to me. I allowed myself to let my guard down once and it backfired horribly. Now I feel like I'm at risk of making that same mistake again only the stakes are a lot higher this time. I feel disgusted with myself for even feeling like I feel right now. I _want_ to hate Cedric. I want to hate him so badly but I just don't think that I feel that way anymore."

"Do you feel like you're forgiving him?" Abigail asked softly.

"No, and I don't think I'll ever be able to forgive him. But I don't hate him like I should. I should want him dead but..." Sofia trailed off and shook her head. "All I want at this point is to just get away from him before things become even more complicated."

Abigail inhaled sharply before letting the breath out in a long, slow stream. "Well, my offer still stands."

"Offer?" Sofia looked at the chambermaid in confusion. "What offer?"

"My offer to help you escape this situation if you need to." Abigail said with a smile. "Like I said, Lord Jonathan showed me all kinds of secret passages out of the castle. I could help you leave."

"What about my family?" Sofia asked, looking up at the servant girl hopefully. "Would you help me escape with my family?"

"I would certainly be willing to try." Abigail said with a nod.

"Abigail!" Sofia bolted up from the bed and threw her arms around the girl. "You're a saint in disguise!"

Abigail was at first caught off guard by the queen's embrace but she smiled and returned the gesture. "I just want to help you, Your Majesty."

"Please, call me Sofia." Sofia said, pulling back to grasp Abigail's hands. "All of my friends, do."

Abigail blinked at the queen in surprise. "Uhm... o-okay. If you insist."

"This is what I need you to do." Sofia said excitedly. "I need you to get permission from Cedric to take my family outside again. Take them to the front of the castle and wait for me there. I should be there shortly after one o'clock."

"Okay." Abigail replied. "What do you want me to do until then?"

"Go about your day as normal. Try not to be nervous." Sofia answered. "Speak to as few people as possible and keep a low profile."

"Yes, Your Majesty. I mean, Sofia." Abigail said with a curtsy. "I should probably be on my way then. I don't want the king to get suspicious. Oh! That reminds me..." She stopped to hand Cedric's envelope back in Sofia's direction. "Please take this. I don't want to have to explain to him why you refused it."

"Alright." Sofia took the envelope and placed it aside. "I'll see you later Abigail."

"I'll see you shortly after one o'clock." Abigail replied.

Sofia watched as the servant girl gave her a nervous backward glance before exiting the room. She stood from her bed and went to the door to lock it behind Abigail. Once she was alone again she began pacing the room. She hoped everything would go according to the plan in her mind.

With Abigail on board to help she now had three people who could wheel her family out of the castle gates; Abigail, Baileywick and Jonathan. This meant she could provide a diversion to lure the other guards' attention elsewhere and give everyone time to escape. She would be able to leave at a later time and be reunited with her entire family, given the resistance's help.

Now it was just a matter of waiting.

She was too impatient to wait in her room so as soon as she felt the coast was clear she slipped down the hall and through the secret passage to the library. From there she made her way cautiously to the spot where Baileywick would meet her.

She wondered what her old friend would say about her idea. Perhaps he would deem it too risky but she wouldn't take no for an answer. One way or another, she was going to rescue her family.

Hours ticked by as she waited and her nerves began to get the best of her. The entire plan could be a failure if something went wrong. If Baileywick got caught sneaking into the castle or if Abigail couldn't get her family outside in time or if Jonathan backed out due to it being so risky; any one of those factors could change the outcome entirely.

She began worrying to the point of nausea until she heard the false wall sliding to reveal Baileywick. She was relieved to see him initially but the grim look on his face made her heart drop. "Baileywick, what's wrong?"

Baileywick reached out for Sofia and pulled her into his embrace. "Sofia, I'm so sorry."

"Th-they didn't get Amber, did they?" Sofia croaked out, knowing almost instantly without Baileywick needing to elaborate. "They weren't able to save her."

"I'm sorry, Sofia." Baileywick pulled the young woman tighter against him and began stroking her hair. "The carriage was devoid of life when they ransacked it. Aside from the coachman and the guard on back there wasn't a soul in there."

"Wh-what?" Sofia pulled back and looked up at Baileywick in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I mean Amber was never on that carriage." Baileywick said sadly. "Whatever Cedric did with her, he didn't put her on that carriage. I fear he may have just killed her and-"

"I will _end_ him." Sofia growled, tearing away from Baileywick's hold.

Baileywick looked at the young woman in shock as she turned away. "Sofia! Sofia, wait! Have you at least broken the encroachment charm yet!?"

But Baileywick's cries fell on deaf ears. Sofia was possessed by fury as she stormed through the castle on her way to throne room. The dagger in its sheath felt as though it was searing against her thigh, aching for her to use it to end not only Cedric's miserable existence but her own by extension. She paid no mind to the guards standing outside the throne room as she burst through the door to find Cedric sitting with a long scroll of royal duties in his lap.

She approached him swiftly, a look of absolute bewilderment on his face as he watched her approach.

"Where is she!?" Sofia roared.

Cedric jumped to his feet as the guards on either side of him moved to block his wife's path. She looked furious and showed no signs of slowing down, guards or no guards. "Sofia, calm down. What's the matter?"

"Where the hell is my sister, Cedric!?" Sofia seethed, trying to continue toward him despite his guards now holding her back. "I know she wasn't on that carriage! I know you did something to her! Tell me now or I swear on all that I hold dear I will destroy _everything_!"

Cedric let out a heavy sigh and stood, producing his wand from his sleeve. He pointed it at his wife with regret and uttered a blinding spell. " _Caecus_."

"No!" Sofia cried out, but she was too late. A thick black cloud seemed to penetrate her vision until she was standing in nothing but darkness. The absolute blindness was terrifying and no matter how much she clawed at her face she couldn't make it go away. "You bastard!"

"Leave us." Cedric said, turning his attention to his guards. "I need to speak to my wife alone."

Sofia listened, because that was all she could do, as booted footsteps exited the throne room before the heavy door closed with deafening thud. All was silent for a moment before she heard more footfall coming in her direction. "Stay away from me, Cedric!"

"I would ask how you know that your sister was not in that carriage..." Cedric began, circling the woman at a safe enough distance. "But given that the carriage was attacked and looted by known members of the resistance I suppose you found out that way. Some of them old friends of yours if I'm not mistaken."

Sofia bared her teeth, though she had no idea in which direction to do so. "What does it matter how I found out? I want to know where my sister is and I want to know now!"

"It matters a great deal how you came upon this information. It doesn't look good when the king's wife is fraternizing with the resistance movement that's been trying to bring him down." Cedric continued to walk around his wife, looking her up and down as he went. "How long, Sofia? How long have you been involved with them?"

"Tell me what you did to my sister." Sofia said angrily.

"Tell me how long you've been involved with the resistance and I'll tell you everything you want to know about your sister." Cedric replied.

"Since the night I tried to kill you." Sofia spat out.

"I see. And when killing me didn't work you and your little cohorts decided the best thing to do would be to just seduce me instead, is that it?" Cedric asked with a scoff. "What the hell did you plan to accomplish by doing that?"

"Tell me what you did to my sister." Sofia demanded. "You said if I told you how long I've been involved with the resistance you would tell me about Amber. Tell me. What did you do to her, you bastard!?"

"I did nothing to her, Sofia." Cedric said with a sigh. "I did nothing to her at all."

"Liar!" Sofia cried out, tears now pouring down her face. "You did something to her, I know you did."

"All I did was have her sent right back to where she's been ever since we married." Cedric replied softly. "She's up in her old bedroom where she's been tended to by your chambermaid this entire time."

Sofia's breath caught in her throat and her entire body went limp at Cedric's words. "R-really?"

Cedric pointed his wand at his wife once more and took a step back from her. " _Obliterro caecus_..."

Sofia gasped as her vision returned to her instantly. She whirled around to find Cedric standing behind her, staring at her with an expression she couldn't quite pinpoint. She inhaled sharply and clenched her fists at her sides. "The secret?"

"I've been debating whether or not to tell you since yesterday. At least, I was until you ran out of my room last night like you were being hunted." Cedric said, his voice scarcely above a whisper. "This isn't how I wanted you to find out."

"You said you were going to send her away." Sofia rasped out. "You manipulated me! You made me suffer in turmoil and for what!?"

"You tried to kill me, Sofia." Cedric said angrily. "I had to set an example of what I would do if you continued to lash out. I was never actually going to send any of your family members away. I merely wanted you to think that I would."

"I want to see her." Sofia said, stepping toward Cedric. "You're telling me that my sister is here in the castle alive but I have no reason to believe you. Show me."

"You're working with the resistance." Cedric retorted. "You seduced me, to what end I _still_ don't know. Why should I take you to see your sister?"

"Last night you told me you love me." Sofia replied. "Do you really love me or is that just more manipulation?"

Cedric sighed before letting out a long, irritated chuckle. He had to laugh. He had to because if he didn't he was going to scream in fury. He approached Sofia and reached out to clasp her hand, though he wasn't terribly gentle as he yanked her in the direction of the nearest stairs. "Come along..."

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AN #2: This is one of the chapters where the lyrics to the song for which the chapter is titled actually apply. The song is Monster by Meg Myers if you care to listen/look up lyrics.


	16. Monster (Part Two)

AN: Thank you for all of your reviews! You guys give me life! :D

So I feel I need to clarify something, just so there's no confusion about the matter...

Cedric's reasoning for not actually sending Amber away has nothing to do with his feelings for Sofia. I don't want anyone to confuse this psychological abuse tactic of his as something "sweet." He didn't send Amber away because it would be incredibly risky for him to do so (for the simple fact alone that if someone managed to get their hands on her and return her to her normal state, whatever claim he has to the throne would become null and void, not to mention that if he ever needed to use her against Sofia in the future he would need to keep her within reach.) I originally wanted Cedric's motives for this to be up for interpretation but I feel it would be incredibly irresponsible of me if I didn't make it clear that his actions here are abusive, not romantic.

Now that _that's_ out of the way, please enjoy the second half of the previous chapter and PLEASE let me know what you're all thinking. I'm quite eager to know! :)

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Sofia followed after Cedric, her legs working twice as hard to keep up with his pace. He was silent, though she could tell by his body language that he was livid. She was still fairly angry herself, though it was beginning to dissipate at the idea that she was about to see her sister.

She allowed him to pull her along up the stairs in the direction of Amber's old room but as they topped the stairs he froze and turned around to face her.

"You are to see her for a moment." Cedric stated firmly. "I'm only showing you that she is alive and being cared for. The punishment of removing her from your life still remains."

Sofia's heart dropped at Cedric's words and she shook her head. "Cedric, please-"

"You do not get to plead with me like that, Sofia." Cedric replied. "I wanted civility from the beginning. I wanted to make this marriage work and I wanted us to have a decent life together. Instead you tried to murder me and you're working with the people who aim to destroy me. I will not be weak to you. I will not give in to your cries for mercy. You never gave into mine."

"You really are just a monster." Sofia whispered, glaring up at the man bitterly.

"Yes, well I'm afraid it's a slippery slope, my dear. You might want to watch your own footing." Cedric said, turning away from the young woman as he continued along. He led her to a sconce on the wall that once tugged revealed a secret passage. He used his wand to illuminate their path and kept going until they reached the entrance to Amber's room. He was hesitant to continue but he knew they must press forward. He pushed on the false wall and the hinges creaked but as he stood staring into the room he was mortified at what he saw.

The former princess was indeed in the room as he'd expected to find her. What he hadn't expected to find was her splayed out on the bed, nightgown pushed up high enough to expose her breasts. Her bloomers were dangling around one ankle as her foot hung off the edge of the bed. Cedric stared at the sight, shocked into inaction until the sound of his wife letting out a horrified croak snapped him back to attention.

Sofia took a trembling step forward, words failing her as she approached her sister. Her initial concern was to ensure that Amber was still breathing and as she closed the distance she saw her sister's chest rising and falling. Her head whipped around to glare at Cedric but the sound of footsteps coming from the bathroom caused her gaze to snap in that direction. She looked to the bathroom door in time to see Jonathan exiting, his head tilted downward as he adjusted the belt of his trousers.

A sound that could only be described as a squeak passed from her throat and grabbed the attention of the captain of the guard.

Jonathan's blood ran cold as his eyes flickered up to catch both the king and queen staring at him from different spots in the room. He looked to Sofia who was the closest and motioned to her sister. "I-I found her like that. I was just coming to tell someone."

Sofia clenched her fists at her sides, bile rising in her throat. "I trusted you, Jonathan."

Jonathan looked the queen over. Fury was dripping from every inch of her and he knew there would be no reasoning with her so he turned his gaze to Cedric instead. "Your Majesty, surely you don't think-"

"Get the hell out of here." Cedric said angrily, stepping aside to clear the path for Jonathan to exit.

Jonathan's eyes darted back and forth between Cedric and Sofia before he took a step toward the opening in the wall. He'd made it halfway across the room when he felt a small hand reach out and grab his arm. He turned to see the queen's other hand slide up, exposing her leg as she pulled the dagger he had given her from its sheath.

He jumped back I enough time to avoid the wild swipe she made at him.

"You bastard!" Sofia screeched, following after Jonathan as he backed away. "I considered you my friend! I trusted you! I even told you my story and you _still_..."

Cedric watched as his wife advanced on Jonathan, brandishing the dagger with no regard. As justified as she was to seek vengeance, he knew he had to stop her. She could seriously injure herself trying to attack a man twice her size and he couldn't take that risk, not to mention that he didn't think she could handle the guilt that would come afterward is she successfully killed someone. He hurried over to her and wrapped one arm around her waist while reaching up with the other to clasp the hand holding the dagger.

He managed to wrench the blade free from her hand and dropped it to the ground to kick far behind them. Sofia was sobbing at this point, struggling vainly against his hold. He pulled back enough to turn her to face him and drew her into a tight embrace. "I know, my love. I know you're upset but I need you to be calm for me, please."

"Why aren't you going after him!?" Sofia cried, hands trying to push away from her husband. "You can't just let him get away!"

" _You_ are my main concern." Cedric said softly in an effort to sooth the woman. "I will not let him get away with this. He'll be arrested immediately."

"No, that's not good enough!" Sofia shouted. She was quaking with rage and gnashing her teeth. She wanted nothing more than revenge for what Jonathan had done. "I want him dead!"

"In due time." Cedric replied, wrapping his arms even tighter around his wife. "He will hang, I will see to it."

Sofia gripped Cedric tightly as he held her, sobs racking her whole body. She could feel his arms wrapped around her, his wand still in hand and pressed into her side. She pulled back slightly to look at him and reached up to wipe the tears from her face. "It's not good enough, Cedric."

"I'm sorry, my love." Cedric whispered, pulling back from her to brush the hair out of her face. "I know you want more."

"Yes I do." Sofia said, taking a step backward. She glanced down at the wand in Cedric's hand and reached out to snatch it from him. She then turned and bolted after Jonathan, Cedric chasing and calling for her the entire time. She wasn't going to stop. She wasn't going to let anything stand in her way. When the captain of the guard finally came into view she skidded to a halt at the top of the stairs and called out after him. "Jonathan!"

Jonathan froze and turned to look up at the queen. Her eyes were like fire as she glared at him. He looked her over, expecting to see the dagger still in her hand but she was clenching Cedric's wand instead. His eyes widened and he took a step backward. "Let's be reasonable, Sofia."

"I want to see the life leave your eyes." Sofia raised Cedric's wand with a quaking hand and pointed it furiously at Jonathan. " _Necro letalis_..."

" _Proteja_!" Abigail's voice rang out, echoing across the expanse.

Sofia's gaze flew to Abigail in shock as she saw the chambermaid standing at the base of the stairs holding a wand. The girl's spell was a shield, blocking the curse of death Sofia had cast at Jonathan. "A-Abigail?"

"I'm surprised at you, Sofia." Abigail said, starting slowly up the stairs toward the queen. "The curse of death? How very unlike you. Don't you know what happens to you when you kill with magic?"

"H-he raped my sister!" Sofia rasped out, looking at Abigail in disbelief. "He deserves to die!"

Abigail paused in her footsteps and turned her gaze to Jonathan. "Jonathan, what were you thinking? We have more important work to do here that doesn't involve you forcing yourself on some invalid former princess."

"You were the one who said she would never find out her sister was even still here." Jonathan retorted with crossed arms. "You can't blame me for wanting a good time."

"We're not here for a good time." Abigail said with a growl before turning her eyes back to Sofia. "Oh, I'm so sorry. You must be really confused right now. Allow me to explain..."

"Sofia!" Cedric said out of breath as saw his wife standing dumbfounded at the top of the stairs. He reached out to take the wand from her hand but his attention was drawn elsewhere when he noticed she was staring at both her chambermaid and the captain of the guard. "What's going on?"

"Oh, good. I won't have to repeat myself." Abigail smirked and kept her wand pointed at Cedric and Sofia. "I am here to take this castle from the false king."

"What?" Sofia looked at Abigail in confusion.

"That _by-the-book_ , poor excuse for a magic user destroyed my entire coven and left me alone in the world!" Abigail said, narrowing her gaze at Cedric.

Sofia looked to Cedric in awe before turning her gaze back to Abigail. "She's a witch!"

"And a pretty damn good one considering I had no one to teach me." Abigail replied, tipping her wand back and forth between the couple. "So now that Jonathan has forced me to reveal myself with his _idiocy_ , I guess I have no choice but to move forward with my revenge. You should join me, Sofia. I know you've been eagerly awaiting this day almost as long as I have."

Sofia's hand tightened around Cedric's wand instinctively as she stared down at Abigail. She had a hard time focusing on the girl, however, with Jonathan standing there staring at her menacingly. She shook her head and pointed the wand at Jonathan. "I'm not cooperating with anything you want until he's dealt with."

"Oh? Is that so?" Abigail looked Jonathan over in interest before turning back to Sofia. "Unfortunately for you this isn't a negotiation. You can either join me by choice or by force."

"Get back." Cedric muttered, pushing his wife behind him. He snatched his wand from her hand and pointed it at Abigail. " _Necro let_ -"

" _Dezarma_..." Abigail spoke quietly, watching in satisfaction as a bolt of her energy shot up the stairs and struck Cedric's wand, knocking it from his hand. Her mouth crooked into a delighted grin and she started toward them. "Don't struggle. It only makes me angry."

Cedric gritted his teeth and glanced behind him. His wand was somewhere back there but he couldn't see and he didn't dare take his eyes off of Abigail for too long. He took a step backward, shielding Sofia with his body as he did so. "When we get to the hall just run." He whispered.

"That's very poor advice to give your wife." Abigail said with a snicker, having overheard Cedric's words to the queen. "You're going to make Jonathan chase after her and he's not exactly the most gentle man in the world."

"You lay a fucking finger on her and I'll tear your throat out with my bare hands!" Cedric shouted, turning a wild gaze at the captain of the guard.

A tsk sound fell from Abigail's lips and she let out a chuckle. "So violent. You know, as fun as it would be to hunt them both down I think it would be best to just do this the easy way." She swiftly closed the distance between the couple and herself, thrusting her wand in their direction. " _Imobiliza_."

Cedric let out a growl as he felt himself frozen in his tracks. He couldn't even move his head to look over his shoulder at his wife. Rage boiled within him as he saw Jonathan approach and move past him. Sofia let out a horrified cry but he could do nothing to help her. "Stay away from her!"

"Ah, ah, ah..." Abigail stepped up to Cedric and reached up to pat him roughly on his face. "Don't you worry about her. Jonathan will take _really_ good care of her while I extract exactly what I need from you."

"And what the fuck would that be?" Cedric hissed.

Abigail's smile widened across her face as she reached into her apron pocket and unfolded a page she had long ago stolen from one of Cedric's books. She displayed it to him, watching his face wash over with realization. "Look familiar?"

"What the hell do you want with the Amulet of Avalor?" Cedric asked with a snort.

"You don't need to worry about that." Abigail shrugged and refolded the page. "You'll be dead soon enough."


	17. Run

AN: Thank you all for your reviews! I love reading all your input and your reactions to the story! You guys are the best!

I told you guys this story was going to get dark. I just hope it's not _too_ dark. I should have an update for you on Wednesday morning (though I do occasionally post late Tuesday nights because I'm impatient.) The updates for the next few weeks might be a little different than normal because my birthday is next weekend and I'll be on vacation for a week. I'll try to keep you informed!

Anyhow, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Please let me know what you think about it! I love your reviews!

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Sofia paced back and forth in the cell she'd been placed in. She wasn't sure how long she'd been there but she knew it had been less than a day. Nobody had come to bring her food or water, not that she could stomach a meal anyhow.

The prison she was in appeared to be the one in operation before Cedric took over. It was older looking, more dilapidated from time spent in disuse. Still, the rusty old bars were doing a well enough job keeping her locked away despite their condition. With enough time and effort a determined prisoner could escape a prison in such a condition, but she was low on time. She needed to get out and fast.

The sound of an old door creaking open echoed through the prison and she held her breath, finding in surprise that she was hoping to see Cedric's face above all others. But illness quickly washed over her as Jonathan came into sight, grinning at her widely.

She roared in anger and flung herself against the cell bars but she quickly drew back when she saw that he had his dagger in hand, pointed at her. "Stay away from me!"

"I'm afraid I can't do that." Jonathan said with a chuckle. "Abbs needs you."

"Abigail needs her head examined!" Sofia spat. "How she could let someone like you anywhere near her shows what poor judgment she has."

"Abbs trusts me. She needs me." Jonathan replied. "If it weren't for me she wouldn't even know what she is."

"She would have found out with or without you." Sofia snapped back. "A witch's abilities are inborn. She would have been able to put two and two together eventually."

"Not when your husband killed every last witch and warlock in the entire kingdom." Jonathan said with a scoff. "She grew up in a world where the only magic users were sorcerers like the king. She had nothing to compare her experience to. She's the last of her kind."

Sofia opened her mouth to retort that Jonathan was wrong, that Lucinda and all of her witch friends were still around and very much alive but she thought better of it. She didn't need to volunteer any such information to the likes of him. Instead she narrowed her gaze at him in a vicious glare. "She won't need you forever, you know. You'll become expendable eventually."

Jonathan snickered and moved to unlock Sofia's cell. He ignored her words in favor of tossing her a pair of shackles. "Bind your hands together. She needs to see you."

Sofia looked between Jonathan and the wrist cuffs. She was loath to put them on but she knew it was better if she did it than to let Jonathan. She didn't want him touching her. Reluctantly, she secured the cuffs around her wrists and started out of the cell with Jonathan behind, dagger pressed against her back.

She walked along cautiously until she felt him grab her arm and yank her to a standstill. Her eyes grew wide as he grabbed her cuffed hands and forced her up against the prison wall. "G-get off of me!"

"I just remembered that you have something I want." Jonathan said, leering down at the woman who was now trembling in terror. He tucked his dagger into his belt before gripping the fabric of the queen's gown to pull it up. She squealed as she tried to struggle but she was too weak to put up much of a fight. His hand slipped between her thighs until he found the buckles for the dagger's sheath. He unlatched the item and pulled it up to dangle in front of Sofia's face with a laugh. "I'll be needing this back."

A small amount of relief filled Sofia as Jonathan stepped back from her and replaced the sheath on his own leg, though she still felt uneasy. Then he grabbed her once more and thrust her in the direction of the exit, pressing the dagger against her spine.

She let him lead her out of the prison to a long hall. As she walked along she began to hear pained screams growing louder and louder. Her heart felt as though it dropped into her stomach as she realized the screams belonged to Cedric. She froze in her tracks but Jonathan urged her forward with his blade at her back.

It was all she could do to carry on until he stopped at a door at the end of the hall. Sickness filled her as she stood listening to Cedric's guttural cries coming from the other side. She could detect an overwhelming metallic scent in the air that turned her stomach. The remnants of her last meal projected up her throat and onto the floor, earning a chuckle from Jonathan in response.

When Jonathan opened the door what she saw was enough to bring her near to fainting. Cedric was on the ground, hands and feet bound to keep him virtually defenseless. Abigail was kneeling above him, elbow deep in a hole cut just below his sternum. Blood was everywhere.

Weakness overtook Sofia immediately and she stumbled, leaning against the door frame for support. Her vision began to blur but she knew passing out now would be the worst possible thing she could let happen. She shook her head of the dizzying sensation and managed to force her eyes to stay open.

"Oh, look who's here." Abigail said with a smile, relishing the tortured scream Cedric let out as she worked her hand slowly out of his chest cavity. "Isn't it amazing how much blood the human body can lose before it dies?"

"Wh-what are you doing to him?" Sofia managed to croak out. Had her stomach not already emptied itself of its contents she would have vomited once more.

Abigail stood slowly and pointed her wand at Cedric. " _Vindeca_..."

Sofia watched as the gaping hole in her husband's body closed up at the spell's command. She swallowed hard as Abigail approached her, Cedric's blood dripping from her hand. She cringed as the girl reached up with the bloodied appendage and cupped her chin delicately. "Please don't hurt him anymore."

Abigail's brow furrowed at the older woman's words. "Weren't you telling me earlier that you want to hate him? That you should want him dead?"

"Yes, but I..." Sofia looked past Abigail to Cedric. He was looking at her through heavily lidded eyes, chest moving slightly with every shallow breath he managed to take. He looked like he was on death's door. Her eyes darted back to Abigail's face sadly. "Not like this, Abigail. Please."

"Spare me. How many people has he killed? Tortured? He deserves every second of this." Abigail said, turning from Sofia back to Cedric. "I didn't have you brought here to discuss whether or not my treatment of him is justified. I had you brought here because I need your help. I used a truthfulness charm on him to discover the location of the Amulet of Avalor but he thinks he's being cute by giving me half-truths for answers. He keeps telling me that it's close to his heart. Obviously he's speaking metaphorically but I thought I'd check the physical location just to be certain. Ten minutes of fishing around in his rib cage and I came out with nothing."

Sofia's brow furrowed and she shook her head. "How am I supposed to help?"

"You know him better than anyone." Abigail replied. "You figure it out."

Sofia gasped as she felt Jonathan's hand on her back shoving her forward. She took a few clumsy steps before falling to her knees in a pool of Cedric's blood. She stared down at the man, noticing for the first time the scorch marks on his chest where it appeared Abigail had burned him with magic. The sight was almost too much to bear even though it was Cedric. She felt a lump rise in her throat as she stared down at him. She raised her hands to brush his bangs from his face, careful not to scrape him with the cuffs around her wrists. "Cedric, can you hear me?"

Cedric tried his best to focus his blurry vision but he could only make out Sofia's silhouette. Her voice sounded far off, as though she was speaking to him from the opposite end of a long tunnel. He managed to whisper to her, though he could scarcely hear his own voice. "Sofia, I..."

"D-don't try to speak too much." Sofia said softly. "Save your strength."

"For more torture?" Cedric spoke through wheezing breaths.

"She won't torture you if you tell her what she wants to know." Sofia replied. "Just tell her, Cedric. Please."

"Can't." Cedric shook his head to the best of his ability and winced at the pain it caused. "She'll kill me."

Tears began rising in Sofia's eyes as she stared down at her husband's abnormally pale face. "She's killing you already. At least if you tell her it might be swift."

"She'll move on to you." Cedric rasped, frowning at the thought. "Not letting that happen."

"Cedric..." Sofia sighed and glanced over her shoulder at Abigail. "What could she possibly want with me?"

Cedric took as deep of a breath as he could manage. "T-to show her how to use it."

Sofia leaned in close to Cedric and pressed her mouth against his ear. "Tell me where it's at. Please."

"You're safer if you don't know." Cedric replied, raising trembling hands to try and clasp his wife's.

Sofia pulled back to look down at Cedric regretfully. There was a pained smile on his face. How he could smile after all that Abigail had put him through was astounding, though he had bragged that he had a high tolerance for pain. She saw that he was reaching vainly for her with his hands so she snatched up the frigid appendages and held them between her own. She returned her gaze to Abigail and looked at her pleadingly. "Please give him time to heal."

"I already healed him." Abigail replied dryly.

"His physical wounds, maybe. But if he loses any more blood..." Sofia trailed off and glanced back at Cedric. "I'm sure I could get him to tell me. I just need more time. If you gave me a couple days to-"

"You can have one day." Abigail said, holding up a singular finger. " _One_ day to make him tell you. After that he's mine to do with as I see fit."

Sofia let out a relieved sigh. She watched as Abigail turned from them both, the girl's body rigid with anger. She overheard Abigail whisper to Jonathan to keep an eye on the two of them.

As soon at the witch's footsteps were no longer echoing through the hall Sofia turned to face Jonathan and glared at him. "He needs water."

Jonathan chuckled and crossed his arms over his chest. "Not my problem."

"It'll be your problem if he dies." Sofia retorted. "Abigail wants the Amulet of Avalor. Cedric is the only person who knows where it's at and if he dies she'll never find it. I know she's not going to blame _me_ if he dies because I'm not capable of going to fetch water for him. You on the other hand..."

Jonathan sauntered over to the woman and crouched down in front of her, staring at her with a wide grin. "Alright, bitch. I'll go get some water for your husband. And you know what else? I might even stop by your sister's room; tell her you said hi."

"You stay the hell away from my sister!" Sofia lunged at Jonathan and headbutted him in the nose. She watched as he drew back in pain but any satisfaction she may have felt was short lived when he struck her across the face with the back of his gloved hand. She growled and moved to go after him again but was stopped by Cedric's hand clenched in her gown. Her gaze fell behind her to see him glaring in Jonathan's direction. When she whipped back around she saw that Jonathan had turned to exit the room, leaving the two of them locked inside.

"You okay?" Cedric whispered, tugging lightly at the fabric of his wife's gown.

"Why did you stop me!?" Sofia cried out as she turned to look down at Cedric.

"Can't protect you like this." Cedric murmured.

Sofia shook her head and clenched her fists tightly. "That's not what I meant! I meant earlier in Amber's room. You should have let me kill him! If I had then we probably wouldn't be in this mess."

"Didn't want you with blood on your hands." Cedric replied quietly. "You can't handle it."

"I can handle it just fine." Sofia said in annoyance. "I almost killed you and I think I would have been able to live with myself. I _know_ I'd be able to live with myself if I could kill that bastard."

Cedric was able to snicker, though it only came out sounding like a struggled breath. He watched his wife as her silhouette rose and moved away from him, blending in with the darkness of the rest of the room. "Where you going?"

"Looking for a way out." Sofia replied. "This isn't a cell. It looks like it was once part of the armory. There might be a secret passage in here somewhere. If I could just get out and find somebody to help..."

"No." Cedric said as loudly as he could. "If you get out, don't come back."

Sofia paused and turned to look at Cedric. "There's no way I'm leaving my family here. Not at the hands of that bastard." She returned her gaze around the room, looking for anything that might be out of place that could potentially be a trigger for a secret passage. Though she knew the likelihood that Jonathan would have left them unattended in a room with an unlocked exit was slim, she still had to try.

She continued searching until she heard the sound of someone trying the door. She'd expected Jonathan to be gone much longer than that. The only thing she could do was hurry back over to Cedric and kneel at his side.

But when the door didn't open immediately she began to grow suspicious. She could still hear someone fidgeting with the knob so she knew someone had to be on the other side. She rose to her feet again hesitantly and watched the door, waiting in anticipation.

Finally the portal swung open and what she saw on the other side was enough to bring tears of joy to her face. "Baileywick!"

"Sofia! Thank goodness!" Baileywick bolted into the room and threw his arms around the woman in a tight embrace. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm fine." Sofia replied, wiping her tears on the man's cloak. "I'm so glad you're here."

"When you left to go after Cedric I followed you. I was worried that you might get hurt. But then I lost track of you and I was wandering the halls for a while until I came upon you with that man and woman." Baileywick pulled back to cup Sofia's face. "We have to get you out of here. I've been laying in wait for hours just for them to drop their guard."

"Baileywick, I can't leave without the others. That man, Jonathan, he..." Tears overwhelmed Sofia's face again, this time tears of sorrow. "He's been hurting Amber."

"Amber?" Baileywick looked to Sofia in confusion. "But she-"

"Cedric never sent her away. She's been here this whole time." Sofia said, pausing to glance backward at her husband. "He wanted me to think he sent her away but..."

Baileywick's eyes grew wide at the sight of Cedric laying in a pool of his own blood. He glanced at Sofia before looking back at Cedric in shock. "D-did you do that to him?"

"No. It was Abigail." Sofia said. "She's a witch and she's looking for the amulet I used to wear when I was a little girl. She's been torturing him for the location of it."

"I see." Baileywick managed to pull his eyes from the sight and look back at Sofia in concern. "We have to go, Sofia. Quickly, before that man comes back."

"I'm not leaving without my family." Sofia replied with a shake of her head. "I don't want to leave them behind."

Baileywick sighed and clasped the young woman's hands tightly. "Please come with me. We can come back later with reinforcements but we have to leave now, especially if the woman who imprisoned you here is a witch."

Sofia shook her head again in response. "Baileywick, I-"

"Go, damn it." Cedric said in the most commanding voice he could muster. "Get out if you can."

Sofia whirled around and looked at her husband calmly. He was staring at her, chest rising and falling more rapidly now. She approached him and knelt at his side quickly. "Cedric, tell me where the amulet is. If I can get to it then maybe-"

"Sofia, go." Cedric pleaded. "Please."

Sofia stared at Cedric in silence for a moment before standing and turning to Baileywick. "Help me carry him."

"What?" Baileywick looked at Sofia in disbelief. "Why on earth would you want to do that?"

"I can't leave him here. I need him to tell me where the amulet is." Sofia replied. "If I can get it then maybe I can right some wrongs but first I need to find out where it's at."

"Sofia, saving Cedric is the last thing we should be doing." Baileywick said as he watched the young woman move over to grab her husband's wrists with much difficulty given that her hands were bound.

"We're not saving _him_." Sofia muttered. "We're saving the others. We just need him to do it."

Baileywick stood staring as Sofia struggled a few times at pulling Cedric up before he finally let out a long, heavy sigh and stepped over to the man. He knelt down and hoisted Cedric over his shoulder, turning back toward the door with Sofia in toe. "Come on, quickly."

Sofia followed Baileywick in the direction that led back toward the prison. He seemed to know where he was going as he led her into a room and over to a shelf that served as a door to a secret passage. She found herself quite impressed with the former castle steward. Despite his age he was not only strong and clever but also incredibly spry as he moved along at a pace she had difficulty keeping up with it.

As the passage let them out near the back of the castle she cast a last look over her shoulder.

Leaving without her family was the most difficult thing she had to do but she knew she had little other choice at the moment. If she didn't leave when she had the chance she might not be able to save anyone at all.

She stared at the castle in determination, fists clenched at her sides as she spoke reassuring words that her family couldn't hear. "I'm coming back for you."


	18. Breaking Down

AN: So I _should_ be able to squeeze one more chapter update for you guys before I leave for my trip on Friday morning. After that I won't be updating until next Wednesday. Sorry!

Anyhow... thank you, thank you, thank you for all of your reviews! A thousand times, thank you! Words can not express how much your reviews motivate me!

I hope you enjoy this chapter, short as it is, and please let me know what you think!

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"What the fuck is this?" Lucinda asked, looking at Baileywick half in disbelief, half in astonishment. "I don't know what you're playing at, old man, but you've got a twisted sense of humor."

"This was not my doing." Baileywick replied in annoyance. "It was hers."

Lucinda watched as Baileywick stepped aside to reveal Sofia. The witch's face hardened and she crossed her arms over her chest. "What the fuck is _he_ doing here? You'd better tell me you brought him to me so that I could kill him personally."

"No." Sofia said with a sigh. "I had to bring him. He knows where my amulet is and if I can get it then I might be able to help my family."

"And that's our problem how?" Lucinda retorted. "All we wanted is him out of power. From the looks of it, somebody managed to succeed where you failed."

"Lucinda, listen to me." Sofia pleaded, reaching out to grasp the witch's hands. "Right now my family is still in the same horrible condition. There's a man there who... who has been forcing himself on my sister. I don't know how long it's been going on but she's defenseless against him and he's never going to stop if I don't do something about it. I need to get the amulet back so that I can set things right and I need Cedric to do that. Whatever you want to do to him afterward is up to you. For right now though, we need a place to hide and I need help keeping him alive."

"Let him rot." Lucinda said, turning away from Sofia to slam the door.

Sofia cringed as Lucinda shoved the door but before it could close with a deafening thud she saw a slender, dark arm reach out to catch it. She blinked widely as Ruby came into view, a nervous look on the other woman's face.

"Is it true? Is he here?" Ruby asked, peering out past Sofia to see Cedric sprawled out on the ground. "Oh wow."

Sofia looked at her former friend in concern. "Ruby, he's going to die if I don't do something. Is there any way we can stay? Please. I know Lucinda is in charge of the resistance but it's still _your_ house."

Ruby wrung her hands together and glanced back into the house, uneasy about the whole ordeal. "You wouldn't be able to stay in the house. It's really full already. But there's a hayloft in the barn..."

A hopeful smile crossed Sofia's face as she threw her arms around Ruby. "You have no idea how helpful that will be!"

"Just... try not to let anyone know he's here. Especially Jade or any of the witches. They're not particularly thrilled that he's even still alive." Ruby replied.

"You won't even know we're here." Sofia said, pulling back from the woman. "Thank you, Ruby. Thank you _so_ much."

"Yeah, yeah. Just hurry before the others find out." Ruby whispered. "I don't wanna hear any complaints."

Sofia turned back to face Baileywick and motioned to Cedric. "Could you help me just once more, Baileywick? Please."

"Of course." Baileywick replied, picking the disgraced king up a little less than gently. "Though I still think this is a terrible idea."

Sofia ignored Baileywick's hum of judgmental words and started off in the direction of the barn. It sounded as though there was a large commotion in the house as they crept past, trying to go undetected. Even in the middle of the night, word had traveled through the village that Cedric had been dethroned. It seemed as though the entire kingdom was in celebration, especially the resistance.

When they finally reached the barn she climbed the ladder up to the loft filled with hay and did her best to help Baileywick transfer Cedric up there.

He was unconscious at that point, ghostly pale and breath so shallow it didn't appear as though he was breathing at all. It took her fingers against his throat to feel his pulse before she could say with any amount of certainty that he wasn't dead.

She turned to Baileywick and gave him a grateful smile. "Thank you for helping me, Baileywick. I know you didn't want to."

"You should have let him die in that castle." Baileywick replied. "But you have your reasons and I won't question them. I'll return shortly with some food and water. I'm sure you're starving."

"Not really." Sofia said with a shrug. "But I should probably try to keep my strength up."

"Yes you should." Baileywick said, starting back down the ladder. "I'll be back soon."

Sofia watched Baileywick make his way down before turning her attention to Cedric. His upper half was still bare. What little remained of his kingly attire was stained with blood and did little to provide him warmth against the evening chill. She looked down at her gown, also soaked through with blood but now dry. It would have to be enough.

She found the seam and began to tug at it until she had a small hole to work with. She was then able to rip the fabric at mid-thigh all the way around until at last she was left with something akin to a blanket. She draped it over his exposed from in an effort to keep him warm and she was caught off guard when he reached up and placed his hand over hers.

"Your body is warmer." Cedric rasped.

"Have you been awake this entire time?" Sofia asked, looking the man over curiously.

"In and out." Cedric replied, peeking at her out of the corner of one eye. "Hard to stay awake."

"Well, as much as you need to rest I think it's best for you to try and stay awake tonight." Sofia said, tucking the fabric up around his chin. "If you get too cold you'll freeze to death. You lost a lot of blood."

"I'll be fine." Cedric muttered. He lulled his head to the side and pried his eyes open to look at his wife in the dim light from the moon coming in through the open loft doors. His vision was still blurry but he could make out much more than just her silhouette this time. "Where are we?"

"The hayloft in Ruby's barn." Sofia answered. "Baileywick will be back soon with some food and water. I think you need to try and eat something."

Cedric crinkled his nose at the idea of food and shook his head enough to convey his message. "You should eat instead."

"I'm not the one at death's door." Sofia replied with a sigh. "Cedric, listen... I need you to tell me where the amulet is. If I can get the amulet maybe I can help my family. At the very least, I can stop Jonathan."

"You're not going back there." Cedric retorted as sternly as he could muster. "Too dangerous."

Sofia shrugged at Cedric's words and looked away from him. "Who cares if it's dangerous? My family is there and right now Amber is defenseless against Jonathan. I'm going to try to go back tomorrow with the resistance's support. I need to know where the amulet is."

"Not telling you." Cedric said plainly. "Stay here. It's safe."

Sofia let out a frustrated grunt at Cedric's insistence that he wouldn't tell her. He was doing his best to deter her from returning to the castle but keeping the location of the amulet a secret wasn't going to stop her. It was only going to make her task more difficult. She opened her mouth to tell him as much when she heard the sounds of Baileywick returning up the ladder. She crawled over to the edge of the loft and reached down to help the man with the items he was carrying.

"I have something that may be of help." Baileywick said as Sofia reached out to take the basket that hung on his arm. "One of the good witches overheard Lucinda complaining about you having brought Cedric here. She offered some assistance."

Sofia blinked at Baileywick in surprise at the news. She watched him reach into his pocket and produce a small tincture bottle. "What is that?"

"A revitalization potion." Baileywick replied. "A special creation of Miss Lily's. A single drop every few hours should be enough to stave off death long enough for you to extract the information you need from him."

Sofia looked the potion over in awe as Baileywick lowered it into her cupped hands. The idea that _any_ of the witches were willing to help Cedric despite what he'd done to their families was a shock, though she supposed that was just the way of a truly good witch. "Tell Lily I said thank you."

"I will." Baileywick replied, moving to close the loft doors that were letting in the chilly night air. "It's going to be a cold rest of the night. There's a blanket at the bottom of the basket. I also brought you some bread and cheese. I know it's not much but with the carouse going on down there it's a wonder I was able to salvage any food at all."

"They sound like they're having a grand time." Sofia said quietly, fishing through the basket to find a wine bottle that had been emptied of its contents and filled with water. She pulled out the blanket and placed it over Cedric's form to provide him another layer of warmth. "Thank you for all your help Baileywick. I know it hasn't been easy but I couldn't have done any of this without you."

Baileywick watched the young woman as she tucked the blanket securely around Cedric's body. A small sigh fell from his lips as he reached up to untie his cloak. He stepped over to her and knelt to drape it over her shoulders and tie it in place. "This is to keep _you_ warm. Not him."

Sofia gave Baileywick a small smile and reached up to clasp his hands. "Thank you."

"Tomorrow we will set out for the castle." Baileywick said as he moved back toward the ladder. "You won't be going with us."

"What?" Sofia whipped around to look at the man in confusion. "But my family-"

"Will be rescued one way or the other." Baileywick replied. "But considering you were just a prisoner of that woman, I can't imagine it would be wise for you to return."

"Baileywick, that isn't fair!" Sofia cried.

Baileywick cast the young woman a sad smile and shrugged before continuing down the ladder. "I'm afraid that's the way it has to be, Sofia."

Sofia crawled to the edge of the hayloft and glared down at Baileywick who was now refusing her gaze. Once he was gone from sight she crawled angrily back over to Cedric and pulled the dropper from the tincture bottle. "Are you still awake?"

"Yes." Cedric answered.

"I'm sure you're just silently relishing in the fact that Baileywick told me I'm not going with them tomorrow." Sofia said bitterly. "Open your mouth."

Cedric parted his lips at Sofia's command and felt her drop some of the liquid onto his tongue. A warming sensation washed over him and he opened his eyes, vision returning fully to its normal state. His gaze flew up to Sofia's face and he saw that she looked like she'd been dragged through hell and back. There was dried blood caked on her chin and a swollen lump on her cheek where Jonathan had struck her. Rage boiled in him instantly and he sat up to cup her face. "That bastard..."

"I'm fine." Sofia said, pulling Cedric's hand from her face as she forced him back down into the pile of hay. "You need to rest."

"I need to get back to the castle so I can slaughter him." Cedric growled. "That he would even dare lay a hand on you is-"

"He's already dared a lot worse." Sofia barely managed above a whisper.

Cedric's eyes grew wide and he looked his wife over in worry. "Did he do something to you?"

"No, Cedric." Sofia replied sadly. "But he may as well have."

Cedric watched Sofia as she cast her eyes downward and wrapped her arms around herself. He moved to reach for her again, this time pulling her into his embrace. "I'm sorry about your sister. I swear to you, I will see him dead before too long."

Sofia sat stiff in Cedric's arms for a moment. She didn't want to let him comfort her but she couldn't fight the overwhelming flood of emotions breaking through in that instant. She wrapped her arms around him tightly and buried her face in the crook of his neck as tears overtook her. "I-I never understood why you did what you did to that man who attacked me. For the longest time I thought you were just some violent, bloodthirsty monster. But now I understand everything. I wanted to do the same to Jonathan as soon as I realized what had happened. I wanted to kill him but it was more than that. I wanted him to suffer a horrible, painful death, even if I didn't really have it in me to make it happen that way. Does that make me awful?"

"No, it makes you human." Cedric offered, pressing his lips to the top of Sofia's head. "When a person hurts someone you love it's the worst feeling in the world. Something else takes over inside and even the most innocent people are capable of the darkest actions."

Sofia kept her head pressed against Cedric's shoulder, thinking deeply on his words. She knew exactly what he meant. While she was far from innocent as of late she had still considered herself above such vile actions as she had witnessed her husband commit. But given what Jonathan had done she felt herself overwhelmed with want for pure torture of the man. Finding that she felt that way was terrible enough but realizing that she had resented Cedric for the same thing made her feel even worse.

She began to sob uncontrollably against him, clinging to him as though letting go would send her spiraling into a blackened abyss of turmoil.

She could feel his hand stroking her head and she found that it actually provided a calming sensation when it otherwise might not have. She was still horribly distraught but having someone there to console her was soothing, even if it was Cedric.

He was pulling her to lay down, keeping her encased in his arms as he did so. She felt him shifting around and she realized he was pulling the blankets up over both of them. She wondered if she ought to pull away. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to see her lying in Cedric's arms. But she was tired and his hold was comforting in a way she couldn't explain even to herself so she rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes, crying herself to a restless sleep.


	19. I Don't Love You

AN: I hope everyone has a great weekend!

I really hope you guys enjoy this chapter! Let me know what you think of it and thanks as always for your reviews!

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Sofia awoke to the itchy sensation of hay prodding her body. Despite the warmth it provided, it was also incredibly irritating against her exposed skin. But the one sensation she noticed that was missing was a body against hers. She sat up and looked around frantically before she spotted Cedric staring out the open loft door. She bolted up and reached out to grab him and yank him backward. "You should be resting, not standing on the edge of the opening."

Cedric turned to face Sofia before waving the tincture bottle at her with a smile. "This stuff works fairly well. You'll have to get an ingredient list for me."

"Cedric..." Sofia sighed and placed her hand to her head. "What are you doing?"

"Waiting for your resistance friends to leave for the castle so that I can follow them. They'll provide a nice distraction." Cedric answered. "I worked too long and too damn hard to have some little witchling throwing a tantrum take my kingdom from me. I'm going to get it back."

"You know that potion doesn't _actually_ heal you, right?" Sofia said in annoyance as she reached for the bottle. "It just temporarily negates the effects you're experiencing. You're still incredibly weak."

Cedric shrugged and shoved the bottle into his pant pocket to keep it from his wife. "It doesn't matter. I should have plenty to last long enough to take the kingdom back. I can't squander an opportunity like this."

Sofia opened her mouth to argue with Cedric but she found that doing so would be pointless. She knew he would continue to insist that he go and she could do little to stop him. Besides, she knew it was Cedric that Abigail truly wanted. His presence might provide enough of a distraction for her to get her family out safely as well as take Jonathan down. "Fine. But I'm going too."

"No you're not." Cedric said, snapping his gaze to her seriously. "It's far too dangerous. I'm not letting you anywhere near Abigail. She doesn't just want the amulet. She wants you to show her how to use it."

"You don't know that." Sofia replied, shaking her head.

"I overheard her arguing with Jonathan. She was scolding him for being the reason she had to reveal herself to you before she was ready and he told her that she would have had to reveal herself anyhow since you were going to leave the castle and..." Cedric trailed off, his brow furrowing. "Were you going to leave the castle?"

Sofia averted her gaze from Cedric, the slightly pained expression on his face causing her too much discomfort. "I was trying to." She answered quietly. "I knew I had to leave. Things between us were becoming far too complicated and I-"

" _You're_ the one who complicated them." Cedric retorted. He stared at his wife for a long while, waiting for her to raise her gaze to his but she wouldn't. He decided to press her. "Sofia, why did you seduce me? What did you hope to accomplish? Because I know it wasn't morbid curiosity that drove you to my bed."

"I..." Sofia's eyes darted up to Cedric's before shooting away from him again. "D-does it really even matter at this point?"

"It matters." Cedric said, closing the distance between them. "Everything you say, everything you do _matters,_ Sofia. Tell me honestly."

Sofia swallowed hard and looked up at Cedric in shame. "I was only trying to break the encroachment charm."

Cedric looked at Sofia in confusion. "How would having sex with me break the encroachment charm?"

"Lucinda gave me the instructions on how to do it. The first thing I needed to do was bestow a gift most desired." Sofia said with a shrug. "And when I asked you what your greatest desire was you told me that it was me, for me to give myself over to you wholly. So I did."

"Sofia..." A snicker fell from Cedric's mouth and he shook his head at his wife. "That's not what I meant."

Sofia's eyes widened and she looked Cedric over in dismay. "Wh-what?"

"When I said I wanted you wholly I didn't just mean sex." Cedric replied. "I meant that too but it's so much more than that. I wanted your love, your adoration. I wanted you to be mine in every aspect, not just physically. I wanted for you to feel as strongly about me as I felt about you."

Sofia looked away from Cedric again, eyes blinking in disbelief. How could she have been so stupid? To be so shallow as to think he wouldn't require more of her than just her body? "I..."

"I'm sorry you had to suffer the experience." Cedric said apologetically. He felt a bit at fault, after all. He hadn't been clear in his words to her, nor had he stopped her from her attempts to seduce him when he knew she was up to something devious. "I hope it wasn't too terribly unpleasant for you."

"It wasn't." Sofia whispered.

Cedric cocked an eyebrow at his wife and looked her over in interest. "It wasn't?"

"No." Sofia answered, managing to raise her gaze to his. "And that was why I had to leave. It wasn't unpleasant at all. It was something else entirely and feeling that way about you was terrifying. I-it still is."

" _Still_?" Cedric reached up and pressed his hand to Sofia's cheek. Her eyes were swimming with many emotions including fear. He understood why she felt that way. Aching for someone you were supposed to hate did nothing good for the psyche. That was a lesson he had long ago learned. "Sofia-"

"Cedric, don't say anything else. Please." Sofia mustered. "Everything is already so complicated and-"

Cedric leaned in and captured his wife's mouth against his, kissing her deeply despite the voice at the back of his mind warning him to stop. She had proven time and time again that he could not trust her. He would be doing himself no favors if he allowed himself to give in to his weaker desires. But she was so close to him and he couldn't deny how badly he wanted her. He pulled back from the kiss slowly and thumbed over her cheek. "I don't think you understand how you've made me ache for you. You should have never started this."

"I realize that now." Sofia replied, unable to mask the tremble in her voice.

"I told you it was forever." Cedric said as he slipped his fingers to intertwine with her auburn curls. "And I meant that."

"I know you did at the time." Sofia said softly. She could feel Cedric's other hand on her hip now, shifting to the small of her back to pull her closer. "But Cedric-"

"I still mean it." Cedric spoke quietly, pressing himself snugly against his wife.

Sofia shook her head, hands trembling at her sides. "But I don't love you."

"I'm well aware that you don't love me. You've made that abundantly clear." Cedric replied. "But what isn't clear is whether or not you still hate me."

Sofia blinked up at Cedric, slightly uneasy at the prospect of admitting that she felt many things toward him, but that hatred was no longer one of them. "Does it really matter?"

Cedric laughed softly at Sofia's apprehension. "I already told you, _everything_ you say and do _matters_."

"I..." Sofia inhaled sharply and looked away from her husband. "I don't hate you, Cedric. I don't know what it is I feel about you but I know it's not hatred. Not anymore."

"I can live with that." Cedric leaned forward and pressed his lips to Sofia's once more. He delved his tongue into her mouth, kissing her fiercely as he moved her backward. She wasn't protesting.

He grabbed both of her arms and positioned them to drape over his shoulders and she seemed fine with this, her hold on him tightening almost immediately. His hands then fell to her thighs and he picked her up, wrapping one leg at a time around his hips.

Sofia whimpered into Cedric's kiss as he lowered them both to the floor. She knew well what he was after and she knew she ought to stop him but this kind of interaction with him seemed almost natural now. Stopping him didn't feel like an option... or at least, not an option she was interested in taking.

She gasped for air as she felt him pull back, his eyes staring straight through her. His hand was trailing down, slipping between them to push the remnants of her gown out of the way. He somehow looked confident and unsure simultaneously as though part of him feared she might stop him and another part of him already knew better.

"I want you, Sofia." Cedric muttered, brushing his fingers against the obstructive bloomers that had never previously hindered his access to her. "I want you so badly I can't stand it."

Sofia sighed softly as Cedric gripped the undergarment and pulled it down agonizingly slow. She knew he was giving her time to say no, to stop him if she didn't want to go forward. The smarter part of her was screaming internally to do precisely that but confusing emotions were dancing through her and tearing her in two.

She knew she should stop this. She'd expressed in no uncertain terms that she did not love Cedric and allowing him to continue might muddy his understanding of their relationship. Further, any sexual interaction with him would be for nothing more than purely physical gratification at this point. There would be nothing she could tell herself to justify letting this happen. She knew the encroachment charm wouldn't be broken and there would be nothing else for her to gain from it either.

But she was aching for his touch. It was as though he had somehow reached inside her and reordered her mind and body to crave the satisfaction only he could give her. Even the part of her that _knew_ she should stop him was entertaining itself with the 'what ifs' and 'maybes' of giving herself over to carnal desires.

Then his hand slipped between her thighs and anything that didn't have to do with his body on hers fled her mind.

His fingers were probing within her already, taunting her with promises of what was to come. She gasped loudly and parted her legs to allow him to have his way with her. "C-Cedric... ah! We don't ha-have a lot of privacy or time s-so..."

"I don't need a lot of time." Cedric replied, clasping the back of his wife's head to pull her into a needy kiss. He kissed her hungrily before trailing his mouth over to her ear. "I just need you."

Sofia whimpered as she felt Cedric's fingers leaving her body. She looked up at him from under heavy eyelids as he shifted to kneel between her legs. She sat up and her hands moved to the fabric of his pants where she began tugging at the fasteners eagerly. She could see him smirking at her, likely laughing inwardly at her desperation. She didn't care. She just wanted him inside of her.

He leaned her backward, lowering himself down on top of her. She felt his length pressed against her opening and she raised her hips to meet his, urging him to hurry and take her.

Then she felt him slip slowly within her walls. It filled her with that same sensation of being complete that she at one time would have cringed at associating with him, though now she found that she craved it. He began thrusting almost immediately, eliciting a loud cry that she did her best to stifle.

She quickly realized the wood flooring of the loft was not as forgiving as his bed had been, though she didn't mind it enough to stop him. But it seemed that he could sense her discomfort; he pulled back from her and grabbed her arms, guiding her upward.

"I want you on your hands and knees." Cedric purred.

Sofia cast Cedric a confused glance but did as he asked regardless. He hadn't been wrong yet when it came to pleasuring her so she chose to trust his judgment. She moved to her knees and placed her hands on the ground in front of her. He was positioning himself behind her, fingers sliding within her a few times as though he was testing her readiness, though no amount of prepping could have readied her for the feeling of him delving into her this way.

When he sank in from head to base she felt tremors rack her body. A moan rose up that had to have come from somewhere in the deepest, most primal part of her. It was animalistic in nature and she'd never suspected herself capable of making such a sound. Then Cedric drew back and drove forward again and a similar cry escaped her lips. She slapped one hand over her mouth to quieten herself but she found she couldn't support her own weight under the force of his thrusts with just one quivering limb so she had to return that hand to the ground.

This meant her pitiful outbursts of pleasure could be heard quite loudly by not only her husband but anyone who might be close enough by.

Mercifully, Cedric bunched Baileywick's cloak up and draped it over her shoulder. His motive had likely been to keep the fabric out of his way but she intended to use it for an entirely different purpose. She opened her mouth wide and clamped down on the cloak enough to muffle the beastly sounds Cedric was forcing from her body.

Cedric snickered as his wife successfully ceased her lusty cries. As much as he wanted to hear her moaning and groaning in pleasure he knew they weren't afforded much privacy and the last thing he wanted was to attract anyone to the area.

He wrapped his hands around her hips and pulled her backward, lengthening his reach within her. She felt on fire inside and she was enveloping him in that warmth. He let one hand slide up to cup her breast. He teased her nipple gently between two fingers and relished in the shiver it sent through her body. He wanted more.

He yanked her upright against him, his other hand slipping to brush his fingers against her clit. He loved the reaction her body always gave when he did so and this time was no different. She jerked violently against his touch, the feeling of which rode over the length of him and brought him dangerously close to an orgasm. He wanted to toy with her again but he couldn't risk a climax so soon.

Then, as though sensing a need to diminish the mutual gratification they were both achieving, Baileywick's voice rang out sharply into the barn. "Sofia, are you awake?"

Sofia's eyes popped wide and she threw a horrified gaze at Cedric over her shoulder. She yanked the cloak from her mouth in an effort to respond to the man in a way that wouldn't entice him up. "Y-yes, but I'm... I-I'm..."

"Is everything alright?" Baileywick called, stepping further into the barn to turn and look up at the hayloft, though from his angle he could see nothing. "Did that vile, good for nothing cur die in the middle of the night?"

"What did he just call me?" Cedric growled under his breath.

Sofia pulled away from Cedric quickly and crawled over to the edge of the loft to peer down at Baileywick. "No, he didn't die."

Baileywick looked up at Sofia in concern, her face red and eyes glossy. Something was clearly amiss. "What's wrong, Sofia?"

"Nothing. I'm just a-ah!" Sofia gulped for air as she felt Cedric slip his fingers inside her. He probed gently, making it difficult for her to speak to Baileywick without her voice giving them both away. She cast her husband a glare, only receiving a devious smirk in response. Her eyes darted back down to the former castle steward and she did her best to keep her voice steady. "I-I'm just s-so upset that you won't let me come with you."

"I understand your disappointment but it's much safer for you this way." Baileywick replied before offering a basket filled with food in Sofia's direction. "I brought you breakfast if that helps you feel at all better."

"I-I don't really want it." Sofia managed, swallowing a moan that tried to make its way out of her throat as Cedric worked his fingers back and forth. "J-just leave it down there. I'll get it later if I'm hungry."

Baileywick's brow furrowed at the woman's odd behavior but did as she asked. He hung the basket on a nearby hook and looked back up at her calmly. "A handful of us are heading to the castle now. Lucinda and the other witches will be here if you need anything at all. I know you're upset about being left behind but just try to remain positive."

"Okay, I will." Sofia replied with a struggled nod. "B-be safe, Baileywick."

"Of course." Baileywick said with a smile.

Sofia watched as the man exited the barn before whipping around to look at Cedric. "Wh-what are you trying to do!?"

"I didn't want you to lose interest, darling." Cedric cooed with a wide grin. He pulled his fingers out of her, enjoying the disappointed sigh that fell from her lips, but he was all too happy to replace the digits with the length of himself.

A delicious gasp rose up from deep within his wife as he pulled her close, grinding slowly against her so that she felt each and every single movement he made.

"Cedric..." Sofia tried to speak quietly though it only came out sounding like a desperate moan. "Sh-shouldn't we try to hurry? You wanted to f-follow them, didn't you?"

"That can wait." Cedric said softly. "All I want in this moment is to be right here with you, just like this."

Sofia's breath caught in her throat at her husband's words. There was something about them that struck her in the deepest part of her soul and made her heart flutter. She was the most important thing in the world to him in that instant, even more important than trying to reclaim the throne, and somehow that seemed to matter more than anything else he'd ever said or done.

She pushed herself upright against him and craned her head back enough to catch his mouth against hers. Her hand slid up to cup the back of his head and pull him deeper into the kiss. His body seemed to react favorably to this. His already rigid member grew firmer within her, gracing her with a much more satisfying feeling.

Heat washed over her, bathing her in desire for more of him.

Cedric could feel his wife tightening around him, her need of him intensifying with each second that ticked by. How desperately he wanted to throw her down and take her in any way she would let him; but that wasn't an option at the moment. Instead he broke their kiss and eased her forward to continue his measured thrusts.

The moans passing through her lips were tempered now by her pants for air, though she was still quite vocal in her pleasure. His own gasps for breath were growing ragged as his steady, deep plunges became more frantic.

His hands wrapped around her hips, pulling her back on him at a pace he couldn't muster on his own. She seemed fine with this, fine with all of it... no, more than fine. She was reveling in it. She was rocking herself backward as much as he was pulling her, hastening the climax they could both feel building.

Sofia did her best to brace herself against the flooring of the loft. Her arms were growing tired and weak, though the rest of her body only wanted more. Unfortunately, as Cedric had warned her, he could only last as long as she did. She was certainly recognizing this as a problem now when she felt herself so very on the edge but still anxious for more.

Much to her regret, she couldn't contain her release any longer.

He was so deep within her, hitting every spot inside her that made her quake with pleasure and she was still so susceptible to it all. Her loins tightened around him before giving way to a pulsing flow of euphoria. Her arms buckled underneath her and it was all she could do to keep from collapsing entirely as she let the rush come over her.

His body was draped over hers at that point, both of them panting in desperation for air. She could feel him, entirely weak against her now. Whatever reprieve the tincture had given him, its effects had since worn off. It seemed he only had enough strength to pull himself from her body and drop down heavily onto the wooden floor.

She rolled her head to the side to look at him, a wide smile painted on his face as he stared at her. She turned a bashful gaze away from him and pushed herself up slowly but his hand darted out to catch her wrist before she could stand.

"Lie with me." Cedric said, doing his best to inhale deeply despite how weak he felt. "Please."

Sofia turned wide eyes in Cedric's direction. She supposed it shouldn't come as too much of a shock for Cedric to request that she join him, especially after what had just occurred between them. Still, she was unsure how to respond. Sex was one thing but cuddling up to him afterward was quite another.

She looked down at his hand clasping her wrist and a heavy sigh passed through her lips. She moved to lay herself beside him and allowed him to wrap his arms around her. Her head fell against his chest where she could hear the steady beat of his heart pounding within. Hesitantly, she placed one open palm against the spot where Abigail had cut into him.

She took a deep breath and did her best to glance up at Cedric, though she couldn't really see his face at such an angle. "Cedric, what did you mean when you told Abigail that the amulet is close to your heart?"

Cedric tensed a bit in discomfort and pulled his wife closer against him. "You shouldn't worry your head about that, my dear. It was just something I had to tell her because I couldn't give her a straight forward answer. Considering she used a truthfulness charm on me, I got rather lucky that it even worked at all."

"I guess I just don't understand what it means." Sofia replied. "It wasn't a dishonest answer so obviously it holds a hint about the location of the amulet. But Abigail cut you open and felt around inside you and the amulet wasn't there so clearly you don't mean the heart beating in your chest. You mean something else." She paused in thought, her brow furrowing as her mind worked over what Cedric could possibly have meant by saying the amulet was near to his heart. "Did you mean your family? Does someone in your family have the amulet? Calista maybe?"

Cedric went rigid at the mention of his niece's name. He turned his head in the opposite direction of Sofia and closed his eyes. "I haven't seen Calista in years. Cordelia won't let her have anything to do with me. None of my family members want anything to do with me."

Sofia pushed herself up enough to look at Cedric's face in surprise. "Why?"

"They don't approve of what I've done." Cedric said quietly. "Even my mother thinks I took things too far. She hasn't spoken to me in years."

"But you're still her son." Sofia replied. "And I'm sure she still loves you."

Cedric shook his head and returned his gaze to his wife. "My family isn't like yours, Sofia. Love isn't something to just be given. Love is something that has to be earned. Quite frankly, I'm not sure I could have ever done anything to earn it. Calista was the only one who truly loved me but that ended a long time ago. I have no one now."

Sofia held her breath as her eyes darted over Cedric's face. There was so much pain there and she found that she wanted to alleviate it. She raised her hand up to his cheek and gave it a quick caress, offering a small smile to comfort him. "Maybe this is your opportunity for a second chance."

Cedric looked up at Sofia in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Just look at where we are." Sofia replied, motioning around the barn. "We're hiding away in a hayloft in Dunwiddie, far away from the castle and everything that has happened there. Everything you've ever done is behind you now. Now is your chance to reconnect with your family..."

Cedric shook his head vigorously at the idea and reached up to take Sofia's hand in his own. "No. That isn't an option. I already know how that would play out and I'm not about to invite that level of disappointment into my life."

"But you'll never know if you don't try." Sofia said insistently. "Maybe if they just-"

"Sofia." Cedric silenced his wife with a finger to her lips and cast her a half-smile. "I appreciate your enthusiasm, but things just aren't that way for me. I don't mind. I don't need my family. I... I have you."

Sofia blinked at Cedric widely, struck by his words. His thumb was gracing over the back of her hand and the smile on his face was much warmer now. She couldn't believe what had come from his mouth, though she trusted that he meant it. "Cedric, I-"

"I said forever." Cedric muttered, bringing her hand up to his lips to kiss it. "I meant it."

Sofia looked away from Cedric, her mind turning over in thought. Could she really allow that to happen? After everything that had happened between them, could she really let him have her forever? Things were in her favor for the first time in a long time. Cedric had been dethroned; he was weak and powerless and she could easily discard him and reclaim the kingdom in the name of her family. But whether or not that was what she wanted anymore, she couldn't be certain. Maybe this _was_ a second chance, for not only Cedric but for her family and herself as well.

She could picture what it might be like, the two of them leaving behind the life that they had previously lived to start over new and fresh. They would be living together on equal terms. He would provide for them while she cared for her family. Maybe they wouldn't be in love and maybe it wouldn't be perfect but it seemed a lot more appealing than anything else she could imagine happening from that point on.

She looked down at him, her heart pounding erratically as she chose her next words carefully. "Is that really what you want, Cedric?"

"Yes." Cedric replied with a soft smile.

Sofia took a long, slow breath before giving Cedric a nod in return. "Okay then. I... I suppose we should start looking for a place big enough to house us all, once you're feeling up to it. Ruby is generous but I don't think she'll let us all live in the barn forever. Besides, I wouldn't want to. I'd like us to have a proper house. Though we might need to look for one outside of the kingdom so we can stay hidden from Abigail and Jonathan. Maybe we-"

"Sofia, my dear, what are you going on about?" Cedric asked, his brow crinkling at the woman's words.

"Baileywick and some of the others went to collect my family from the castle." Sofia replied. "When they come back there will be six of us. I don't expect Ruby to house us permanently. So, once you're feeling better we'll find a house big enough for all of us."

Cedric let out a small laugh and shook his head at his wife. "Sofia, that's not what's going to happen."

Sofia scowled at Cedric and pulled back slightly. "What do you mean?"

"This whole idea of finding a house and living in hiding... that's not going to happen." Cedric said, reaching up to press his hand against Sofia's cheek. "I'm the king. I don't hide. I'm going to get my place back on the throne where I belong and you're going to be right by my side, my beautiful queen."

"What?" Sofia sat fully upright and stared down at Cedric in disbelief. "But earlier you... y-you gave up going after the throne."

"I didn't give up going after the throne." Cedric said with a smirk. "I just wasn't about to leave when I had you in such a _tantalizing_ position. You know I'm weak to you."

"Not weak enough, apparently." Sofia said, pulling out of Cedric's reach. "I don't want to go back to the castle. I don't want that life."

Cedric scoffed and sat up to the best of his ability. "Surely it's more appealing than living life as commoners in some hovel."

"For you maybe, but not for me." Sofia snapped. "That castle is pure hell for me. Every inch of it is a torturous reminder of _everything_ that's happened in those walls. I don't want to be there."

"Well that's precisely where you're returning once I reclaim the throne." Cedric retorted.

"No I'm not." Sofia said as she looked Cedric over angrily. She spotted the tincture bottle sticking out of his pant pocket and reached out to snatch it. His hand clamped down on her wrist and she shot a glare up at him. "Let me go."

"Don't do something foolish, Sofia." Cedric warned.

"The only foolish thing I've done was to think for even a _second_ that you've changed. You're just the same as you've always been. Silly me for thinking otherwise." Sofia wrenched herself free from Cedric's hold and started down the ladder.

"Sofia!" Cedric bellowed. "Don't you leave!"

Sofia froze and turned her gaze back over Cedric. He had a wild look on his face and it was obvious he was filled with rage. For a moment she thought she saw a glimmer of something else more desperate underneath but she quickly threw that from her mind. "You can't control me anymore, Cedric. You have nothing to hold over me. Nothing at all."

"Sofia!" Cedric shouted again but it fell on deaf ears. He watched as she disappeared from sight and listened to the sound of her feet scurrying off out of the barn. He let out a furious roar and slammed his fists down on the floor beneath him. "Damn her..."


	20. Salt For Your Wounds

AN: Hello there! I'm back from my trip and ready to get to updating! :D

So I got a PM from Suiren Shinju stating that the lyrics for Savior by Rise Against fit perfectly with the last chapter and I couldn't agree more! It gave me a great idea... if any of the chapters remind _you_ of a certain song, please let me know via PM or in a review so that I can give it a listen! I have a pretty eclectic taste in music so chances are I will love your suggestion, even if it's something I haven't already heard. It might even inspire a future chapter title! ;)

I should have a chapter for you on Friday morning and if the powers that be will allow it, hopefully another on Saturday or Sunday morning!

Anyhow, I think I've left you all hanging long enough. Thank you for your fantastic reviews and as always, I'm dying to know what you think about this chapter so please keep 'em coming!

* * *

"Here..." Lily smiled sweetly and handed a cup of tea into Sofia's hand. "I'm sure you could use this after the night you had."

Sofia glanced around the room, witches passed out in various spots all over the place. "It looks like their night was equally as rough as mine."

"Their night was spent in celebration. Yours was spent in hiding. It's very different." Lily said softly. "Although I might say that they'll feel much worse physically than you do."

Sofia cast the witch a small smile and handed the tincture bottle in her direction. "They could probably use some of this."

Lily chuckled and accepted the bottle from the woman's hand. "Funny thing about this potion is that I created it for Lucinda for precisely that reason. It just so happens to come in handy for lots of other things as well. Did it help with your husband?"

"Yes." Sofia said dryly. "Though I wish I hadn't bothered. He doesn't deserve it."

"No, he doesn't." Lily replied with a shrug. "But I remembered what you told us about the horrible condition your family is in. You told Lucinda that he might know the location of an item that could help them and you needed him alive long enough to get it. Did he at least give you the information you needed?"

"No. He's refusing." Sofia said sadly. "And after everything..."

Lily cocked a curious eyebrow at the woman and took a sip of tea. "After everything?"

Sofia turned an embarrassed gaze away from the witch. "It's a lot more complicated than it needs to be."

"O-oh." Lily turned a slightly shocked gaze away from Sofia and took another sip of tea. "Well, maybe everything will turn out fine without the item."

"I doubt that. Although, I keep going back and forth on whether or not it would even be a good idea to return my family to their normal, functioning state." Sofia said sadly.

Lily returned her gaze to the other woman in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"They've spent all these years in their current state. I don't know if they're aware of it somewhere deep down inside or if they've been completely oblivious but each scenario could have serious consequences. There's no telling the irreversible damage that may have been done to them if they're somehow conscious of what's been going on. If I bring them out of this state they may end up being emotionally and mentally destroyed and in worse condition than they are now." Sofia said with a heavy sigh. "And the flip side to that is if they've been truly detached from this world and I pull them back into it... what am I bringing them back to? Everything they last knew to be true has completely changed. My brother and sister aren't children anymore. Neither am I. And my parents... it all might be too much for them to handle."

"What does your husband think?" Lily asked.

Sofia's brow crinkled at the witch's question. "What?"

"He's the one who cast the spell on them, isn't he?" Lily offered. "He may know how it works on a deeper level. Maybe he could give you some insight into what's going on inside them. That way you can make a more informed decision on what to do."

"Unfortunately I don't think Cedric really even knew fully what his spell would do, let alone the inner workings of it." Sofia said, thinking back on that day in his workshop where the first instance of _real_ regret seemed to seep through his facade. "I told him I wanted to help my family get better but he said it was impossible. I-it actually almost sounded as if he'd tried to reverse the spell himself but couldn't."

"Perhaps he did." Lily said with a shrug. "Or perhaps he didn't. I suppose it doesn't matter."

"It matters." Sofia said quietly, far more to herself than to Lily. " _Everything_ we say and do _matters_."

Lucinda let out a loud scoff and crossed her arms over her chest as she stared at Sofia and Lily from across the room. "It doesn't change what he's done."

Sofia blinked in surprise, caught off guard by the other witch's presence. "L-Lucinda... you're awake."

"Is he still here somewhere?" Lucinda asked with a growl. "Did Ruby let you keep him here even after I said no?"

"It's Ruby's home." Lily interjected, reaching out to pat Sofia's arm reassuringly.

"Lucinda, I just need him for the location of the amulet." Sofia replied. She sat her teacup aside and stood to face the witch. "That's all I need him for."

"Is that why you _reek_ of him?" Lucinda retorted.

Lily stood and stepped between Sofia and Lucinda. "Lucinda, I understand how you feel but-"

"No you don't Lily. Out of all of us you're the only one who's life actually improved after that bastard slaughtered our parents." Lucinda turned her gaze past Lily to Sofia. "I want him gone. I don't care why you say you need him, the facts are that he should be dead. You were supposed to make that happen and you couldn't even do that."

Sofia shook her head, fighting the tears that were rising to her eyes. "I tried, Lucinda. I really did try. But I know now that I'll never be able to break the encroachment charm. Do you know the gift he desires most? My love and adoration... things that I can't give to him. How am I supposed to kill a man who wants nothing more than the unconditional surrender of my heart?"

"That's just an excuse." Lucinda replied. "There was so much fire in your eyes that night Baileywick brought you to us. But do you know what I see now? I see a broken down woman who let that wolf drag her into his den. You're never going to escape from there, Sofia. He'll devour you."

"I'm not going to let that happen." Sofia said, clenching her fists at her sides. "Cedric has nothing to hold over me any more. He has no control over me and I'm not going to let him manipulate me. I'm going to get what I need one way or the other."

Lucinda snorted and rolled her eyes at her former friend. "He's _not_ going to tell you the location of the amulet. It's the only insurance he has that you won't let him die."

Sofia looked away from Lucinda, knowing she was right. Cedric would be stupid to give up the location of the amulet. It was the only thing he had left that he could truly hold over her if he thought she wanted it badly enough. Still, she couldn't admit that to Lucinda, otherwise the witch would be crying for his blood. "I have to believe that I can make him tell me somehow."

"Oh? How's that, by fucking him?" Lucinda snapped. "Or is that just one of your wifely duties?"

"Lucinda..." Lily said scoldingly. "You don't know the circumstances."

Lucinda turned a dangerous glare at Lily and threw an accusatory finger in Sofia's direction. "You and I both know she was virginal the night Baileywick brought her here. Read her aura now. Do you really think she would be taking care of that bastard if the circumstances weren't consensual?"

"She might if it means helping her family." Lily replied. "You know you can't make assumptions based on auras alone."

"It's not an assumption." Lucinda said coldly. "It's an educated guess."

Sofia clenched her fists and stepped between the two witches. "That's enough! If I want Cedric dead, that's _my_ business. If I want him alive that's also _my_ business. And anything else that happens between the two of us is my business too. I don't owe either of you an explanation for anything I do regarding that man and it's not your place to speculate. Lucinda, if you want me to take Cedric away from here, that's fine. I will. But you have to give me more time because I can't do it on my own in the condition he's in. Letting him die is _not_ an option for me and I don't care what else you have to say about the matter. As for anything else having to do with Cedric and me... mind your own damn business."

"In case you forgot, _I'm_ the leader around here." Lucinda said with a sneer.

"And in case you forgot, this is still Ruby's house." Sofia shot back haughtily.

Lucinda gritted her teeth and reached for her wand but the front door to Ruby's home bursting open distracted her. She whirled around to see Baileywick, Ruby and Jade standing in the doorway with the former King of Enchancia. "What fresh hell can _this_ be?"

"Dad!" Sofia cried out, bolting forward to throw her arms around her step-father. He was still unresponsive as she'd expected him to be but just seeing him there was an entirely fantastic feeling all on its own. "Oh, Dad!"

"You went to retrieve the royal family?" Lucinda asked in annoyance. "Without telling me?"

"You were unconscious and unresponsive at the time we left." Baileywick snapped before turning his attention to Sofia. As much as he hated to interrupt the young woman's moment of joy he knew he had to inform her of the grim news he held. "Sofia, I have to tell you something."

Sofia pulled back from her step-father and wiped the tears that were streaming down her face. She blinked up at Baileywick and looked around in worry. "Where are the others?"

"That's what I must tell you." Baileywick said with a sigh. "We were caught almost immediately trying to sneak into the castle. That woman, Abigail, has security heightened all over. We were taken to her directly but rather than imprison us she offered us a proposition. It seemed she knew we were there to collect the members of your family and she said she would give them to us gladly. There's just some conditions to be met."

Sofia moved to Baileywick and clasped his hands desperately. "What is it? I'll do anything!"

"She released King Roland as a sign of good faith but there are conditions for the release of the others." Baileywick explained. "In order to free Queen Miranda and Prince James she requires that we turn you and Cedric over to her custody. As for Princess Amber..." He lowered his gaze and shook his head. "She won't be released until Abigail has the amulet in her hands."

Sofia's heart dropped at this news. She took a step back from Baileywick and grasped her head in her hand. "S-so... so Amber has to remain in that bastard's clutches until Cedric gives up the location of the amulet?"

"Those are her conditions." Baileywick replied. "And I know that you're considering them, but perhaps we should weigh our options. I know you aim to free her urgently but if we were to wait a while-"

"No." Sofia shook her head vigorously. "Every day that goes by is a day that he's hurting her. I can't allow that to happen. I'm going back and I'm taking Cedric with me. I'm going to make him tell me where that amulet is or I'll... I'll let Abigail kill him."

"Sofia, this is extremely dangerous." Baileywick warned. "You saw what she did to Cedric. She could do the same to you, only you might not survive it."

Sofia shook her head and turned her eyes to the ground. "No, I don't believe Abigail would do that to me. But even if she does, it doesn't matter. My goal is to get my family out of that castle alive. I'm willing to do whatever it takes. I don't have much left to lose at this point, Baileywick. If Abigail wants the two of us, she'll get the two of us."

Baileywick shook his head and moved to clasp Sofia's shoulders. "I implore you to change your mind. If she-"

"Let her go." Lucinda interrupted. "She wants to put her life on the line for the sake of rescuing the royal family; let her. We have no use of her anymore and with the way she's been protecting her husband she's only proving to be problematic. Maybe that woman will finish the job _she_ couldn't. We could only be so lucky."

Baileywick turned a glare in Lucinda's direction. "Now listen here-"

"Baileywick, it's fine." Sofia said with a sad smile. "Lucinda is right. I haven't been very helpful to the resistance or its goals. This is maybe the only thing I _can_ do that will help things. Freeing the royal family of Enchancia is the most important thing I can do."

"You're a member of the royal family too." Baileywick said softly. "And if something happens to you-"

"Then I will accept my fate, come what may." Sofia replied. "I've made my bed, Baileywick. I'm fully prepared to lie in it. Now, I know I've already asked far too much of you but I have one last favor to ask. Will you help me take Cedric back to the castle?"

Baileywick let out a heavy sigh and looked the young woman over. He knew there would be no reasoning with her. She was going to do what she wanted one way or the other. It was the least he could do to assist her in the endeavor. "Very well. We'll head out first thing tomorrow morning."

"No." Sofia said, shaking her head firmly. "We're leaving immediately. I'm not wasting any more time."

"As you wish." Baileywick replied. "Some of the horses should still be prepared. We can leave whenever you're ready."

"Alright." Sofia nodded. "I guess I should go tell Cedric that we're going back."

"Is that a wise idea?" Baileywick asked, looking Sofia over in curiosity. "He's not likely to be pleased."

Sofia glanced at Baileywick before averting her eyes. "I don't think that man has ever felt a genuine sense of dread over things that are out of his control. Experiencing that might do him some good." She turned away from the group accumulated in the room then and started out of the house. She walked swiftly to the barn, her heart beating erratically the entire time.

She climbed up the ladder at a snail's pace. Her entire body was trembling with nerves but she'd never felt so sure of herself in her life. As she reached the loft she saw that Cedric had managed to prop himself up against a pile of hay. His eyes snapped over to her instantly and her blood ran cold but she kept her resolve.

"There you are." Cedric said, doing his best to mask the anger in his voice. "You've been gone for over an hour."

"I needed some time alone to think." Sofia muttered. "But eventually one of the witches spotted me outside the house and insisted I come in for tea."

"I would kill for a cup of tea." Cedric said with a groan. "Do you think you could be a dear and sneak me a cup? I'm sure they won't share it with me willingly."

"No, Cedric." Sofia shook her head and took a seat across from her husband. "I'm not going to sneak you a cup of tea. We're not going to be here for very much longer."

"Oh? Where are we going?" Cedric asked in interest.

Sofia took a deep breath and let it out slowly, keeping her eyes downcast as she answered the man. "We're going back to the castle."

A smile spread across Cedric's face at his wife's words. "I'm glad you see it my way, darling. Now, give me that potion so I can get myself in a more battle-ready condition. I'll need you to fetch me a wand from one of the witches, preferably a long one. I'll also need-"

"Cedric, we're going back to the castle as the resistance's prisoners." Sofia explained. "They're going to exchange us for my mother and brother."

"Wh-what?" Cedric looked Sofia over in disbelief before letting out a small chuckle. "You're joking."

Sofia shook her head and stared at Cedric calmly. "It's no joke. You and I are going back to the castle, not as king and queen but as prisoners. This isn't up for negotiation. I just thought you should know so you have time to prepare yourself mentally. I have no idea what Abigail is going to do to you once we return but if I were you I would consider whether or not more torture is really worth just giving her what she wants."

"Sofia..." Cedric looked his wife over in shock, his hands beginning to tremble. "Y-you know that she'll kill me. You know you're only going to be sealing my fate if you send me back there."

"I'm well aware that we may both die before this is over." Sofia replied with a shrug. "But I'm willing to do whatever it takes to save my family. I have been from the beginning. This shouldn't come as a surprise to you."

"Sofia, don't do this." Cedric pleaded. "Please. I-I love you."

"I'm sure you do, in your own way." Sofia said, standing to turn away from her husband. "Unfortunately for you, Cedric, it's not enough."


	21. Castle

AN: So the powers that be apparently don't wish for me to give you a second update this weekend. I'm a bit hung up on the chapter I'm currently writing so there will only be this update until next Wednesday morning (or Tuesday night because I'm impatient as fuck.) I'm sorry! :(

That being said, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Pretty, pretty please let me know what you're thinking!

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Sofia stood in the castle courtyard, eyes ablaze as she stared Jonathan down. He was watching her, a wicked smirk on his face as he walked toward her, dragging her mother along. She went rigid as he passed, a chuckle just loud enough for her to hear falling from his mouth. It took everything within her power to stay stationary rather than lunge at him and attack.

She turned her gaze to Abigail to distract herself. The girl was standing several yards away with her arms crossed over her chest and wand in hand. If memory served her correctly, it appeared to be Cedric's family wand. She knew that he would not be pleased to see this, though he was in absolutely no position to do anything about it.

Sofia took a hesitant step forward and kept her gaze focused on Abigail. "Where is my brother?"

"Where is your husband?" Abigail retorted.

Sofia glanced behind her. While Ruby and Jade were mounted atop their horses in the courtyard, prepared to make a quick get away if need be, Cedric was hidden from sight with Baileywick as his guard. She looked back at Abigail and clenched her fists at her sides. "I'm just taking precautions to ensure that this trade goes as agreed upon."

Abigail gave the woman a half-smile and lowered her hands to her sides. "I can assure you, I have no need of your family outside of this agreement. I'm not trying to trick you. I said that I would release your mother and brother in exchange for both of you. I will do precisely that but I need _both_ of you."

Sofia glanced back over her shoulder to see Ruby pulling her mother onto her horse. Once the other woman started off with her mother safely out of the castle gates she turned her eyes to Jade and gave a curt nod. Jade whistled, signaling to Baileywick to enter the courtyard with Cedric draped over the back of his horse. Her gaze then snapped back to Abigail expectantly. "My brother."

"Jonathan, fetch the former prince." Abigail commanded.

Sofia stood stiffly as Jonathan bypassed her once more and made his way into the castle. He returned after what felt like an eternity dragging James along behind him. She watched him with a scowl as he delivered the prince into Jade and Baileywick's possession before reclaiming Cedric for Abigail. Baileywick cast her one last farewell glance before urging his horse into motion with James on board.

Only when they were gone from sight did she return her gaze to Abigail. "Alright, you have us."

"Yes, I do." Abigail said with a smirk. She closed the castle gates with a flick of the wand before advancing on Sofia. "And I know that it was bravery, not stupidity which brought you back here, Sofia. You shall be rewarded for that."

"The only reward I want is the release of my sister." Sofia replied. "That is all I could ask for."

"But you know I can't do that. She's unfortunately the only assurance I have that you will try just as desperately hard as I will to get the Amulet of Avalor." Abigail replied. "But perhaps I can provide you a bit of comfort. You're here of your own free will. I see no reason to keep you locked in a prison cell. You can return to your room, though unfortunately I'll have to keep you locked inside with several guards outside your door and windows. You understand. Still, it's much better than a filthy prison, is it not?"

"And what about Cedric?" Sofia asked, glancing at the man who was bound and gagged and draped over Jonathan's shoulder, struggling vainly.

"What about him?" Abigail asked with a scoff. "Surely you don't suggest he be treated as fairly as I would treat you."

"I understand why you want to lock him in a cell." Sofia replied. "And he certainly deserves it but in his current condition he might die. As much as you would like to pretend that isn't a problem for you, we both know that it is. As it stands he's still the only person who knows the location of the Amulet of Avalor. If you let him die we may never find it. You're entirely justified in your want of revenge but be smart about it. If you kill him now you may as well forget all about the amulet."

Abigail looked Sofia over skeptically. "I should warn you against trying anything funny, Sofia. You won't be lucky enough to escape a second time."

"I don't intend to escape." Sofia said calmly. "I'm fully prepared to do as promised. I will do whatever it takes to help you find the amulet... but you understand I _will_ need Cedric alive to do that."

"Very well." Abigail said with a nod. "I'll allow you to nurse him back from the brink of death but once he's capable of surviving a cold, damp prison cell that is precisely where he will go. Agreed?"

"I can't think of a better place for him." Sofia replied.

A wide smile crossed Abigail's face and she motioned Sofia to follow. "Come along. The sooner we get you to your room the sooner you can pry that information out of him."

"Yes, of course." Sofia bowed her head and followed after Abigail with Jonathan trailing behind, lugging an incapacitated Cedric.

"I'm so glad you decided to return of your own free will, Sofia." Abigail said, casting a smile at the older woman. "Jonathan and I were fully prepared to launch a kingdom wide search for the two of you. I fear the results would've been particularly nasty if it had come to that. Thankfully things worked out this way. A peaceful solution is usually the best, wouldn't you say? Extenuating circumstances aside, of course."

"I couldn't agree more." Sofia muttered. " _Especially_ when it comes to extenuating circumstances." She followed the woman along, occasionally catching glimpses over her shoulder of Jonathan staring at her menacingly. She wanted nothing more than to strike the smug look from his face but she knew that her primary focus needed to be freeing Amber. Any revenge she hoped to seek would have to come afterward.

They made the long walk up the stairs in the direction of Sofia's bedroom. There were far more guards lining the hall than there had ever been before and it became clear that there truly would be no chance of escape, not that she planned to try.

When they entered her bedroom she watched Jonathan throw Cedric to the bed before producing some shackles to restrain him. Cedric struggled, but to no avail, as Jonathan successfully shackled his wrist to one of the bed posts. The witch then dismissed Jonathan and stood beside her, staring down at Cedric.

"The gag was a nice touch." Abigail said, with a snicker as she looked Cedric over in delight. "Who's idea was that?"

"Baileywick's." Sofia answered quietly. "Cedric may be physically weak but his mouth works just fine. He wouldn't quit complaining so Baileywick gagged him to keep him quiet."

"Mmm... I like your friend Baileywick." Abigail replied. "He's the sweetest old man. He certainly cares a great deal about you, Sofia. He made me swear a witch's oath that no harm would come to you before he would even agree to tell you about my proposition."

"He did?" Sofia asked in shock. "And you swore that oath?"

"Of course I did, although I don't think your friend believes I'll keep the oath. But I have no intentions of hurting you, Sofia. Quite honestly, I rather like you." Abigail smiled sweetly at the older woman and shrugged. "Unfortunately you got dragged into all this the day you agreed to marry Cedric. I'm sorry that you had to get involved but now that you are I need you to play your part. It's the only way to fix the damage he's caused."

Sofia blinked at Abigail in thought before turning her gaze to Cedric. "I'll do my best."

"That's all that I ask." Abigail said with a smile as she made her way out of the bedroom. "I'll have Agnes bring some food up shortly."

Sofia kept her eyes on Abigail as the girl exited her room. She then looked back at Cedric and reached out to untie the gag from around his mouth, an action which she almost immediately regretted.

"Sofia, you have doomed us both!" Cedric said furiously. "I can't believe you would do something so moronic as to-"

"This gag goes back on almost as easily as it comes off, Cedric." Sofia warned.

Cedric scowled at his wife but didn't let her threat stop him from his rant. "You can't tell me you honestly believe her when she says she doesn't want to hurt you! You saw what she did to me! And she may be acting sickeningly sweet to you now but when her patience begins to wear thin you can bet she'll be just as vile to you as she was to me! Mark my words, Sofia, that witch will-"

Sofia balled up the gag and quickly shoved it into Cedric's mouth as he spoke. He muffled a few more syllables before seemingly realizing it was pointless. Once she had his silence she pulled the blankets up over his exposed chest and let out a heavy sigh. "No, I don't fully trust Abigail and I'm well aware that these niceties might all be an act. But it doesn't do me any good to get on her bad side when our lives are in her hands."

"Oh, I see..." Cedric said with a roll of his eyes, though with the bunched up fabric in his mouth it came out sounding like nothing more than garbled nonsense. Thankfully Sofia reached up to pluck the fabric out for him to speak. "When your life was in _my_ hands you fought me tooth and nail but with Abigail you bow down to her every whim."

"Abigail didn't lock me in a cell for years, ruin my entire family and discard every ounce of trust I had in her." Sofia snapped back at Cedric. She saw his eyes dart away in apparent guilt and she let out an uncomfortable sigh. She placed a hesitant hand over his in an effort to regain his attention. "I also have no level of confidence that Abigail won't kill me if I make her angry, where as you... I think I knew you never would, encroachment charm or not."

Cedric looked up at his wife in silent thought a moment before casting her a small smile. "Me and my silly weakness for you. Look where it's gotten us."

"Cedric, please tell me where the amulet is. _Please_." Sofia said, giving her husband's hand a gentle squeeze.

"If I tell you where the amulet is it will only put you in danger." Cedric replied.

Sofia sighed and shook her head at her husband. "I already told you, I'm well aware of what could happen to me. But I'm also prepared to do whatever it takes to help my family. If I die as a result then so be it."

Cedric shook his head to the best of his ability and raised his hand to her face. "I don't want to lose you."

Sofia reached up to pull Cedric's hand from her face and averted her gaze. "Cedric-"

"I know." Cedric smiled and placed his hand back against Sofia's cheek. "I know you think that's just something I'm saying to trick you or lull you into a false sense of security but I genuinely mean that. I've always been terrified of losing you... to the point that I couldn't even bear to wipe your memories away because I knew whatever would have been left behind would not have been _you_. I've done everything in my power to keep you around and although I may not have always handled it in the best way it has always been so that you would never leave me. I know it may not seem like I'm being sincere when I say that I don't want to lose you but I don't think I've ever spoken more truer words."

"Cedric, I know you mean it." Sofia said sadly. "That's why it's so hard for me to hear. Sometimes it's just easier for me to still think of you as some horrible monster because when I think about you having real, honest feelings for me it... it makes everything that's happened just feel that much more terrible."

"I'm sorry." Cedric offered with a sorrowful smile. "Maybe one day I'll be able to make up for all that."

"You can make up for it by telling me where the Amulet of Avalor is." Sofia responded.

A small laugh fell from Cedric's lips and he let his hand trail down Sofia's face and arm to clasp her hand. "If I thought for even a second that it would be worth putting you in danger for, I would tell you. But as it stands, that's not a risk I'm willing to take."

Sofia huffed and opened her mouth to plead with Cedric more but the sound of the door being thrust open caught her attention. She saw Jonathan standing in the doorway with the elderly servant woman, Agnes, pushing a cart of food. She drew closer to Cedric as Jonathan approached, though he would be of no help to her if Jonathan decided to do anything.

Thankfully the man only seemed interested in leering down at her and making her as uneasy as possible. She did her best to ignore him as Agnes wheeled the cart silently over to the bedside. The old woman then turned and vacated the room and Jonathan was soon to follow but his presence seemed to somehow linger for a long while after he left. The air felt heavy around her and it was all she could do to push herself off of Cedric. What little sense of security she had fled her body as she withdrew entirely from her husband.

She tried to ignore the sense of dread washing over her and moved to lift the cloche from the food. There were two bowls filled with gruel sitting on the cart; a fitting touch of irony if ever there were one.

She picked up one of the bowls and its accompanying spoon and moved back over to the bed to feed Cedric. She lifted the spoon to his lips but, much to her annoyance, he refused to open his mouth. "You need to eat."

"It's probably poisoned." Cedric said, turning his head from his wife. "I'm not eating."

"Cedric, you haven't had anything to eat since the day Abigail captured us." Sofia said sternly.

"That was only yesterday." Cedric replied, managing a shrug.

Sofia's eyes widened and she lowered the bowl of gruel onto the bedside table. "W-was it really only yesterday? It feels like it's been so much longer than that."

Cedric glanced out the window at the light coming in. "Judging by the position of the sun I'd say it's been a little over twenty-four hours since you stormed into my throne room and accused me of murdering your sister. I had lunch shortly before that."

Sofia pulled her knees up to her chest and stared out the window in disbelief. So much had happened in such a short amount of time, it was hard to believe only a day had passed. Tears began to trickle down her face and she found she could do nothing to stop them. "When is this nightmare going to end?"

Cedric stared at Sofia, her words striking through him with a painful bolt of guilt. He wanted to reach for her and comfort her but he knew that all of her sorrow had been his fault and that even if he tried, he would never be able to make up for all the trouble he'd caused her. "Sofia, I'm... so sorry."

"Don't, Cedric. Please." Sofia said, wrapping her arms tighter around herself. "Don't say it if you don't mean it."

"I _do_ mean it." Cedric offered softly. "I'm sorry."

Sofia shook her head and stood slowly. "The only thing you're sorry about is that it led to _this_. But taking over the kingdom, forcing me to become your wife, ruling over everyone with an iron fist... you're not a bit sorry about that."

"You're right, I'm not." Cedric replied, averting his gaze from his wife.

Sofia let out a huff of disgust and clenched her fists at her sides. "I knew as much."

"I'm glad I took over the kingdom." Cedric said a bit hesitantly. "I-I couldn't stand another day in the life I had before I brought the royal family crumbling down. I was miserable. I was a failure amongst my peers, a black sheep in my family and a laughing stock amongst the entire kingdom. It was enough to make me want to end my wretched existence. But, as you can well imagine, I managed to fail miserably at that as well."

Sofia's gaze flew to Cedric and she stared at him with wide, horrified eyes. "Cedric, you..."

"Of all the different ways there are to kill oneself you would think that at least _one_ of them would've stuck." Cedric said with a derisive laugh. "I guess not even death himself wanted me around."

"Cedric, why didn't you say something?" Sofia asked sadly. "If I had known-"

"Yes, because _that's_ something you speak to a child about; hating your miserable life and wanting to end it all." Cedric shook his head and stared down at his free hand. "It wouldn't have mattered. I gave up trying to take my own life long before I met you. Dying just wasn't in my cards at that time. Instead I resolved that the only thing that would truly give my life meaning would be to become king. People might not have liked me but they were damn well going to respect me and the only way to ensure that was to become king. So... I did. And I don't regret it. Perhaps I regret the means by which I accomplished my goal, but the goal itself was all that gave my life purpose. And then, of course, there's you."

Sofia blinked at Cedric in confusion as he finally returned his eyes to hers. "Me?"

"There is not a single part of me that regrets taking you as my wife. I don't even regret the circumstances because I know there was no other way under these conditions that you would have agreed to become my wife." Cedric replied. "I _do_ love you, Sofia. I'm just sorry it isn't in the way you deserve."

Sofia stared at Cedric in silent thought for a moment before letting out a heavy sigh. She plopped back down on the bed beside him and reached out to clasp his free hand. "Thank you, Cedric."

Cedric's brow crinkled at his wife. He glanced down at his hand in hers before returning his gaze to her face. "What are you thanking me for?"

"For being honest. And... for sharing a part of yourself that I'm sure you would've preferred to have kept buried." Sofia said, leaning forward to press her lips to Cedric's cheek. She pulled back from him, taking a moment to admire the slightly dumbfounded expression on his face before she reached for the bowl of gruel and brought the spoon back to his mouth. "Now say ah!"

"Sofia, for the love of all that is sane, get that tripe away from me!"


	22. Our Lady of Sorrows

AN: So, a reprehensible power outage in my neighborhood is seriously throwing me off my groove. (Hooray for SoCal summers... -_- ) So I figured I would just update this today, now, while I'm at work and have guaranteed access to the internet since I have no idea what hell awaits me when I get home. Whatever happens I'll certainly have another update for you Friday morning.

Thank you guys soooooo much for your reviews! I love reading your reactions! I probably read and re-read them twenty times or more because they fuel my passion! So thank you all, seriously, from the bottom of my heart. That being said, I'm obviously quite eager to see what you think about this chapter so please enjoy and let me know what's on your mind!

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"This is nice." Abigail said, sitting across from Sofia at the dining table over breakfast. "Just like sharing food with you in your room, only we're at a proper table."

Sofia kept her hands in her lap and her eyes focused on the plate of food in front of her. "I suppose it's a bit like that. Only now I'm your prisoner."

Abigail shook her head and cast the older woman a kind smile. "Don't think of yourself as a prisoner. Think of yourself as a valuable asset that I have to keep under lock and key. It's entirely different."

"I guess you're right." Sofia muttered, though she didn't see a difference at all. She raised her hand cautiously and picked up the glass of juice in front of her, taking a hesitant sip. She could feel Abigail's eyes on her, the witch trying her best to size her up.

"So, how is your progress with Cedric coming along?" Abigail asked. "Have you gotten any closer to convincing him to reveal the location of the amulet?

"No. He's stubborn." Sofia said quietly, replacing the glass on the table. "But I guess you already knew that."

"Yes." Abigail replied dryly. She picked up her fork and speared a juicy red grape, bringing the dripping fruit to her lips. "And he's always thought himself quite clever, but I have faith that you can crack him."

Sofia sighed and looked at Abigail nervously. "Actually, I'm not so sure that I can. He's worried that revealing the location of the amulet to me would put me in danger and he doesn't want to do that. He keeps telling that no matter how much I pester him. But maybe if you told me _why_ you need it he might be more inclined to share."

"Isn't obvious?" Abigail said with a scoff. "I want to bring my family back. My _real_ family. Not that my adoptive family hasn't been wonderful to me but... I have only vague memories of my mother and father. I was so young when they died and I never got to really know them. I know that you feel similarly. Cedric kept you away from your family too. I know you must want revenge for that."

"I do. I mean, I did at one time." Sofia answered, giving Abigail a shrug. "I still feel that way sometimes, I guess. But then I see a flicker of regret for what he's done buried under the surface and my want for revenge dissipates."

Abigail let out a snort and rolled her eyes at Sofia. "You think he feels regret? Oh Sofia..." Abigail trailed off with a chuckle before stopping herself and turning her eyes to the older woman. "Though I suppose it's really my fault you think that. I guess I must've went a little overboard defending him to you all those times."

"Why _did_ you defend him to me?" Sofia asked, cocking her head to the side. Now that Abigail had mentioned it, it seemed strange given what Sofia now knew. "Was that just part of your cover?"

"It was partially that but it also benefited me to try and push the two of you together." Abigail explained. "Sofia, I have been waiting seven long years just to get my hands on the Amulet of Avalor, ever since the day I was drawn to Cedric's magic room and found out what I am. Before you came along I had no idea how I was going to find out the location of the amulet. But when you married him I saw my opportunity. I was trying to encourage you two to really fall in love in hopes that he would eventually reveal the location to you or perhaps even give it to you as a gift. But when you told me how you really felt about him I knew I couldn't continue to try and force something that would never happen. Instead I was going to expose myself and my plan to you when I agreed to help you escape. Of course, things didn't work out that way."

"So... if you wanted me to fall in love with Cedric why did you have Jonathan encouraging me to kill him?" Sofia asked in confusion. "It almost seems counter intuitive."

"Jonathan was encouraging you to kill Cedric?" Abigail asked in surprise.

Sofia nodded eagerly, hands now gripping the edge of the table. "Yes! He said it several times. He even told me how to sneak into Cedric's room because he thought I was going to kill him. If you need Cedric alive why would he tell me to kill him and give me a dagger to do it?"

"I don't know." Abigail said, more to herself than to Sofia. "That's very strange. But I'm sure he must've had a good reason. Jonathan has been looking out for my best interests ever since the day I found out what I am. He stumbled upon me when I was rifling through Cedric's magical belongings and he warned me that I shouldn't let myself be caught. He's the one who helped me realize what I really am and nurtured my abilities when I had no one else."

"Abigail..." Sofia shook her head and looked at the witch in concern. "I know you probably feel close to him because he was there for you when you were a child but I don't think Jonathan is looking out for your best interests. I think he's looking out for his own best interests, whatever they may be. Having me kill Cedric goes against your entire goal."

Abigail averted her gaze and crossed her arms over her chest. "Like I said, he must've had a good reason."

Sofia stared at the witch calmly and sighed. "Abigail, listen to me. Don't make the same mistake with Jonathan that I made with Cedric. I know you want to trust him. You want to believe in him and think of him as good no matter how many times he shows you that he's not. I-I'm still making that mistake with Cedric and every time I catch myself doing it, it's like a wall of despair comes crumbling down on me. It's probably too late for me but it's not too late for you."

"Eat your breakfast, Sofia." Abigail said, returning her attention to the food in front of her.

Sofia shook her head and reached out toward the girl. "Abigail-"

"I said eat your breakfast." Abigail snapped. "And be quick about it so that you can get back upstairs to your husband. You have a job to do."

Sofia withdrew her hand and looked away from Abigail nervously. She could tell that she had struck a nerve with the girl. She only hoped that it would be enough to make her question her trust in Jonathan.

She ate sparingly, still lacking an appetite, though she knew she needed to eat and keep her strength up. When Abigail wasn't looking Sofia dropped several grapes into a napkin on her lap in the hopes that she could smuggle them back to her room for Cedric. She knew he would require more sustenance than the gruel provided, not that he would even eat the gruel to begin with.

When she was finished she bunched the napkin up, hoping the white fabric would blend in with the pearly color of her gown.

She then walked to the door where the guard who had escorted her there was waiting on the other side. She forced a smile at him, though she didn't expect him to return it. He didn't.

She walked along with him in silence back toward her room, anxious to just get there and tell Cedric about her conversation with Abigail. Perhaps if she explained to him the simplicity of Abigail's desires, he would willingly reveal the location of the amulet.

But all of that fled her mind as they reached the end of the hall. She was grabbed and yanked into the secret passage that led to the library. She felt herself being thrust up against the wall, the napkin in her hand falling and spilling its contents all over the floor. She looked up in horror to see Jonathan staring down at her, a furious gaze on his face. "L-let me go or I'll scream!"

"Scream. I'm the captain of the guard, what do you think is going to happen?" Jonathan said with a sneer.

"You know Cedric will kill you if you hurt me." Sofia said, doing her best to shrink away from the man looming over her. "Even in his condition, weak as he is, he'll destroy you."

Jonathan let out a chuckle and glared down at the woman. "You think I'm afraid of your pathetic husband?"

"If you aren't, you should be." Sofia warned. "Wands only amplify magical abilities. You make him mad enough and he won't need one."

"Lucky for you, I didn't come here for what you think I came for." Jonathan replied. "I came to tell you to keep your fucking mouth shut."

Sofia looked up at Jonathan in confusion. "What?"

"I was eavesdropping on what you said to Abbs. You need to keep your mouth shut." Jonathan growled. "You're trying to cause problems between the two of us. It's not worth your time and effort so you might as well just shut the fuck up."

"You're afraid she'll find out the truth about you." Sofia said angrily. "You're afraid she'll see that you're only using her. _That's_ why you want to silence me. Well I'm not going to keep quiet! I'm going to keep telling Abigail not to trust you until she sees you for _exactly_ who you are!"

"I would think that you would be more concerned with finding that damn amulet." Jonathan retorted. "Although, I'm perfectly fine with you taking your sweet ass time. After all, I'm not ready to lose my favorite toy just yet."

Sofia blinked up at Jonathan in disgust at his words. "Y-you're evil..."

"Evil is subjective." Jonathan replied with a smirk. "I think I'm a swell guy. And I'm sure if your sister could talk she would have nothing but praise."

"You bastard!" Sofia roared, raising her fists to strike against Jonathan's chest, though it seemed to do little. Tears began streaming down her face as she continued to strike him but he only laughed in response.

"You're a spitfire. I like that." Jonathan grinned widely and grabbed the woman by her wrists, pinning them to the wall on either side of her head. "You know, it's a shame your idiot husband didn't turn you into a living doll like he did the rest of your family. I've always preferred brunettes to blondes."

Sofia clenched her eyes shut, squirming in terror at Jonathan's nearness. "S-stay away from me! And stay away from my sister!"

"Now, now... you can't expect me to ignore my primal needs." Jonathan replied. "I'm sure you understand. I'm sure you've got urges of your own. And I know that husband of yours can't possibly fulfill them all. You'd be better off letting me show you a good time. It can feel good if you don't struggle too much."

Sofia let out a loud whimper and did her best to pull away from Jonathan's hold. She was certain he was going to force himself on her at that moment. His hold on her was tight and he was terribly close. But then his grip on her loosened and he took a step back. She didn't wait a second to bolt out of the passageway and back to the hall where the guard who had been escorting her was standing around looking bewildered. She bypassed him completely and charged past the two guards standing outside her room. She threw the door open and slammed it behind her, looking to her husband in fear.

Cedric's gaze shot to his wife as she entered with a tear stricken face. She rushed over to him, much to his surprise, and threw herself down on him. He raised his free arm to wrap around her and stared down at her in concern. "Sofia, what happened?"

"J-J-Jonathan! H-he... he..." Sofia sobbed against Cedric, unable to form a coherent sentence to express what she was feeling.

"Did he hurt you?" Cedric asked in worry, making his best effort to sit up. "I'll kill him, Sofia. Get me out of this restraint and I'll-"

Sofia shook her head and looked up at her husband through her tears. "Cedric, I-I need you to tell me where the amulet is. H-he's n-never gonna leave her alone otherwise!"

"He's never going to leave who alone? Your sister?" Cedric said softly.

"Yes!" Sofia cried out. "He's just going to keep hurting her unless I get the amulet."

Cedric's brow furrowed at his wife's words. "What exactly does getting the amulet have to do with him hurting your sister?"

"That's the condition for Amber's release." Sofia answered, reaching up to wipe the tears from her face. "Abigail knew that if Amber's freedom hinged on me retrieving the amulet I would stop at nothing until I did so. That's why I need you to tell me. Tell me where it's at so that Amber can go free. Please, Cedric. I can't allow him to hurt her anymore!"

"Sofia, my love, I..." Cedric stared at his wife, the pain in her eyes worse than he had ever seen. He let out an uncomfortable sigh and averted his gaze. "I'm sorry. It's still too risky."

Sofia stared up at Cedric in disbelief and clenched the blankets between them. "Cedric, please! I'm begging you with all that I have in me, end my sister's suffering!"

Cedric sighed again and reached up to cup his wife's mortified face. "I'm sorry but there's no guarantee that they will free your sister. That may be what that witch said she would do but you can't know for certain that she'll hold up her end of the bargain. Besides, I severely doubt that bastard is going to let your sister go so easily. That witch might think she's in charge but he's the one really pulling all the strings."

Sofia sat up and blinked at Cedric in thought. He was right, after all. Abigail may have believed herself to be in control of the situation but Jonathan had been manipulating her from an early age. Chances were, if he didn't want to let Amber go he would find a way to keep her with or without Abigail's knowledge. She needed to find a way to prevent that from happening. She needed to make it so that Jonathan would let Amber leave safely from the castle. A sickening feeling came over her as her brain flipped through the man's earlier words to her. "H-he might be willing to part with her if there was someone else to take her place."

Cedric's brow furrowed in confusion at his wife's words a moment but realization quickly struck him. "Sofia, don't even suggest-"

"What? Taking my sister's place if it means her safety?" Sofia blinked away the fresh tears rising to her eyes and turned her gaze away from her husband. "In case you haven't noticed by now, Cedric, I'm willing to do anything for my family's sake. _Anything at all_."

"No." Cedric shook his head, the action of which made him dizzy. He ignored the sensation and used every ounce of his strength to tug Sofia back down on top of him. "Listen to me. You need to nurse me back to health so that I can take the castle back. Once I'm in control again I'll do whatever you ask. I'll free your sister, I'll work on a cure for your family, I'll be the kind and doting husband you deserve. Just... don't do what you're suggesting."

"That will take too long. I can't let him keep hurting her in the meantime." Sofia rasped out. "At least this way-"

"You think he won't continue to attack her just because you offer yourself to him?" Cedric said with a growl. "He wouldn't pass up the opportunity to have both of you. Think about it, Sofia. "

Sofia shook her head and began to cry heavily once more. "I just don't know what else to do! I want to protect her."

"I know you do, my love. But you can't protect her by putting yourself in danger." Cedric did his best to stroke his wife's head as she wept against him. "I will handle it. You just have to give me time."

Sofia wrapped her arms around Cedric and pulled herself closer to him. "The longer it takes the more he's hurting her."

"Yes, but isn't a few more days worth sparing her a lifetime?" Cedric asked. "I will do what is required of me to regain my health. I'll eat that wretched gruel, I'll get plenty of rest. I'll get better and I will take this castle back... not for my sake but for yours."

"And what if you can't?" Sofia sobbed as she buried her face in the crook of Cedric's neck.

"I _will_ , Sofia. I swear it to you." Cedric said, pressing his lips to the side of her head. He held her as tightly as his body would allow, feeling her tremble against him as she cried silently. "All this time I thought I had done everything in my power to protect you. I'm only now finding out that I haven't done nearly enough. I've failed you in every way, my love, but I'm going to make up for it. Even if it's the last thing I do."

Sofia clenched her eyes tightly as she clutched Cedric. She didn't like what he was alluding to. If he failed at reclaiming the throne and died in the process he would be leaving her behind all alone. The prospect of losing him was a suddenly terrifying thing and she didn't know how to handle the confusing emotions welling up within her at the idea.

She continued to cling to him, finding herself unwilling to let go of him for any reason at all. She let out a shuddering breath and slid her hand into his hair to pull his head against hers. There was so much she wanted to say to him but she couldn't force herself to say the words. Instead she held him tightly and allowed herself to cry until sleep came to claim her.


	23. We Were Doomed From the Start

AN: I don't have much to say here so I'm just gonna drop the story here and be on my way. I should have another update for you on Saturday night or Sunday morning so stay tuned!

As always, please let me know what you're thinking!

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A week had passed since they had come back into Abigail's custody and Sofia felt she could scarcely see a difference in Cedric's state. He spent more time sleeping than he did awake, almost as if he were in a deep trance she couldn't wake him from. He was only ever awake long enough to eat, offer a few words of comfort and give her a quick kiss before he slipped back into slumber.

It left her with much time to reflect on her situation and what the likely outcome would be.

Things looked increasingly grim the more she thought on it. Abigail had grown terribly impatient, lashing out each time Sofia had to inform her that Cedric _still_ hadn't revealed the amulet's location. She knew time was running out before the witch separated them and she would be left all alone in her room, far from her husband and the small amount of security just having him there provided. It would leave the door open for Jonathan or _anyone_ to come in and do her serious harm and this time Cedric wouldn't be there to rush in and save her.

Worse, if things continued as they had been there was a very good chance that Cedric would lose his life. What had at one time been her goal was now a horrible reality that she faced and it grew more terrifying and more realistic every day.

Then, of course, there was her family. Their condition was unknown to her, though she trusted Baileywick would do everything in his power to care for them. Amber was still in danger and each hour that passed by left her feeling helpless to stop it.

There were a handful of times where she considered ignoring Cedric's words and offering herself to Jonathan in the hopes that her body would be enough to keep him away from her sister. The parts of her that feared and loathed him, however, kept reminding her that Cedric's warning was likely true and that no amount of herself that she could provide to Jonathan would prevent him from taking what he wanted from her sister as well. She was limited on options when it came to freeing Amber and with Cedric so stubbornly refusing to expose the amulet's location to her she was left with little more than to sit and wait for a miracle.

So she bided her time by staring out the window hoping beyond all hope that somehow, someway, things would work out.

It was when she was seated at the window looking out at the horizon that she heard the bolts on the door unlock and the door creaked open. She turned her gaze in the direction of the door to see Abigail standing there with a scowl on her face. Jonathan was looming behind her.

He had been present at every one of their meetings since the morning she had tried to warn Abigail against him. No doubt he was there to make sure Sofia kept silent about why the witch shouldn't trust him.

Sofia inhaled sharply and did her best to meet Abigail's gaze, wanting to ensure she gave the girl the dignity and respect of eye contact when delivering bad news. "There hasn't been any change. Cedric still refuses to tell me anything."

"My patience is wearing thin." Abigail said through clenched teeth as she stepped into the room and closer to Cedric. "Perhaps he needs his memory refreshed of what could happen to him if he continues to play these games."

"Please, no!" Sofia cried out, the memory of Cedric laying bloody and practically lifeless on the floor flashing through her mind. Her whole body felt ill at the image and she wrapped her arms around herself, looking up at the witch pleadingly. "Abigail, he won't survive that."

"Then make him tell you." Abigail said irritably. "I've had enough waiting. I've been waiting for years. I shouldn't have to wait any longer."

Sofia bowed her head and nodded quickly. "Yes, I know. If you could give me just a bit more time."

"How much more time does she really need, Abbs?" Jonathan interjected with a scowl. "She's just trying to stall for something she knows he's never going to reveal. We should take him now and use whatever means necessary to get what you're after."

"No!" Sofia jumped to her feet, fists clenched at her sides. "I'm not trying to stall. I want to find the amulet as much as you do, Abigail. My sister's safe release depends on it and you know there's nothing more important to me than that! Cedric is the only one who knows where the amulet is at. Without him we'll never find it. Please, I just need more time."

Abigail stepped closer to Cedric and looked him over calmly. "How is his strength?"

"I-I'm not sure." Sofia replied with a shrug. "He sleeps mostly. Wakes long enough to eat his meals and then sleeps some more."

"Sofia told me he doesn't need a wand to perform his magic." Jonathan added. "Chances are he's been using it to heal himself more rapidly. He'll pose a bigger threat the longer he's given."

Abigail glanced over her shoulder at Jonathan before looking back to Cedric and then to Sofia. "You have until tomorrow morning. Then I'm putting him in a cell and handling it my way."

"But he's not ready!" Sofia said, sadly. "He's still so weak, he could die down there!"

"Not my problem." Abigail retorted, turning from the two to exit the room. "You both should've thought about that earlier."

Jonathan grinned widely and leaned over Cedric, taking the moment of Abigail's absence to spit in his face. He then cast a dangerous glare at Sofia before turning to follow the witch out.

Sofia watched in disbelief as Jonathan sauntered away, following at Abigail's heels. She cringed as he slammed the door behind him and bolted it shut. A feeling of despair welled up inside her and she started over to Cedric's side to remove Jonathan's mark of disrespect.

On the bedside table sat a bowl of water and a cloth which she had earlier used to wipe him down. The water was chilled now but it would have to suffice. She dipped the cloth in the water and rung it out before pressing it to the spot where Jonathan had spat on her husband's face. She wiped the spittle away, the action of which seemed to cause him to stir.

"Are you trying to freeze me?" Cedric asked, prying his eyes open at the cold sensation against his face.

"No." Sofia said softly, pulling the cloth away. "How are you feeling?"

"More or less the same, I suppose." Cedric said with a small chuckle. "Why? Do I look the way I feel?"

Sofia sighed and reached out to clasp Cedric's free hand. "Abigail was just here. She's run out of patience. She said she's throwing you in a cell tomorrow morning if you don't reveal the location of the amulet."

"Did you try to stall her? Cedric asked.

"Yes, but she's done listening. I haven't given her the results she wants. She's going to move on to harsher tactics." Sofia said sadly. "Cedric, I don't think you'll survive another one of her interrogations. If you just tell her where the amulet is she might at least make your death quick."

Cedric did his best to shrug and offered his wife a smile. "Whether I die by torture or by a swift, merciful killing, dead is dead."

Sofia shook her head and tightened her grip on Cedric's hand. "What if she would spare you? Maybe if you gave up the location I could just reason with her-"

"Sofia, she wants nothing more than to destroy me." Cedric said. He pulled his hand from his wife's grasp and pushed himself up slightly.

"Cedric, lie down!" Sofia said, pushing him backward. "You need to reserve your strength."

Cedric struggled against Sofia until he was able to achieve an elevated position. "This is quite possibly my last night with you and you're worried about whether or not I'm reserving my strength for the inevitable torture I'm going to experience?"

Sofia gasped as she felt Cedric grab her and yank her down onto the bed with him. She blinked at him in surprise but he only smiled down at her, seemingly without a care in the world. "Aren't you worried about tomorrow?"

"What good will worrying do me? It will only ruin the time I have left with you." Cedric said with a grin. "Besides, I'm a hard man to kill. I should know."

"Cedric, don't joke like that." Sofia whispered. "This is serious."

"I know it is, my love." Cedric replied. "I'm only trying to lighten the mood."

Sofia raised a trembling hand up and gripped Cedric's shoulder as she let her head lull against his. "I'm absolutely terrified of what tomorrow will bring. I don't want to be left here alone in this room. I don't want you to die. I don't want-"

Cedric silenced his wife by shifting his head to catch her mouth on his. He parted his lips to slip his tongue into her mouth and deepen the kiss. She pulled back almost immediately and he looked down at her in confusion. "Sofia-"

"Cedric, now is not the time for _that_." Sofia said, fighting the small blush coming to her face.

"Arguably it's the perfect time." Cedric laughed. "But I'm not after anything more than a few sweet kisses. Unless that's a problem, of course, because I-"

Sofia pressed her lips to Cedric's to cut him off. She moved to attain easier access to him, pressing her chest against his as she allowed him to kiss her. She let her hand slide up to cup the back of his head where her fingers intertwined with his silky black locks. Despite his assurance that he was only after innocent kissing, she could feel his body rising to press against hers and his free hand had slipped down underneath her buttocks to pull her fully on top of him. She drew back and looked at him skeptically. "Cedric, I think you're after a bit more than just a _few sweet kisses_."

Cedric grinned up at his wife and pulled her snugly down on top of him. "This is quite possibly my last night alive. Can you blame me?"

"No, I suppose I can't blame you." Sofia replied before sliding off her husband to lie beside him. "But that still doesn't mean it's going to happen."

"Sofia, my love..." Cedric said with a playful whine. "That's terribly unfair of you."

Sofia rested her head against Cedric's chest and draped her arm over him. "I'm sorry, Cedric. I just have my mind on everything else right now. I'm genuinely terrified of what tomorrow will bring. You're all I have left in the world. That thought is horrifying enough on it's own..."

"You say the sweetest things, my dear." Cedric said, casting his wife a sardonic smile.

"But that thought is made worse by the realization that I'm going to lose you come tomorrow." Sofia continued. "Abigail will stop at nothing to get the amulet so that she can bring her family back. She's not going to hold anything back."

"Wait, she wants the amulet so that she can bring back her family?" Cedric asked, sitting forward slightly. "The amulet isn't capable of doing something like that."

"I-it isn't?" Sofia asked, sitting up to look at Cedric in concern. "But it's so powerful. It can do so many things."

"But bringing souls back from the dead is not one of them. There is only one kind of magic that can do such a thing; an ancient blood magic that will cost far more than I'm sure she's willing to give." Cedric said, a shiver coursing through him.

"Ancient blood magic?" Sofia looked at Cedric in shock. "It sounds scary."

"All magic comes with a price." Cedric replied. "However, some magic carries a much steeper price that must be paid to vengeful deities of the old ways. Trust me, you wouldn't want to be involved in something like that."

Sofia watched Cedric, his eyes flickering as though there was more he wanted to say but was battling himself to keep it contained. "Were _you_ ever involved in something like that?"

Cedric turned his head away from Sofia to avoid catching even a slight glimpse of her and let out an uncomfortable sigh. "That's a story for another time."

Sofia blinked at her husband in disbelief at his response. "B-but there might not be another time!"

"Precisely." Cedric muttered.

Sofia stared at Cedric for a long while hoping she could press the issue with him, but judging by how fiercely he was avoiding her gaze, she knew she likely wouldn't get much more from him. "So... if this ancient blood magic is the only way for Abigail to bring her family back maybe we should just tell her that."

"She won't believe us." Cedric replied. "She'll keep insisting on using the amulet and when it doesn't work she'll turn her rage on you. Knowing now why she wants it only solidifies my reasoning that she should never discover its location. Keeping it hidden is the only way I can keep you safe."

"It's still worth a shot." Sofia argued. "If she believes us about the blood magic she may agree to let you live longer so that you can show her how to use it. You could-"

"Sofia, I am not inviting _anything_ like that into this realm. It simply isn't worth the risk." Cedric said, shaking his head slowly. "Some things are just better left alone."

Sofia clasped Cedric's hand and looked to him hopefully. "But Cedric-"

"Not another word about it." Cedric said sternly. "I don't want to fight with you over this. I've made my stance on the matter clear and I'm sticking to what I said. No amount of bargaining or reasoning with me is going to change my mind. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to spend the last night of my life with my wife in my arms. Will you allow me that?"

Sofia stared at Cedric a long while before relenting to lay her head on his chest once more. She placed her open palm against his heartbeat and breathed in deeply as she listened to the pulse within.

Her mind was turning over what he had told her. Abigail wouldn't be able to achieve what she was after with the Amulet of Avalor. If nobody told her this she would relentlessly keep seeking it, probably for her entire life. Despite Cedric's insistence that telling her would do no good, Sofia felt she needed to try. After all, it could mean the difference between life and death for both of them.

As soon as Cedric drifted back into slumber Sofia slipped out of bed and walked silently up to the bedroom door. She knocked lightly and spoke in a hushed tone to the guards on the other side that she needed to be taken to Abigail immediately.

She was then escorted to the throne room where Abigail was pacing back and forth furiously. Jonathan was seated on Cedric's throne, his eyes narrowing on her as she entered. She cleared her throat and looked to the witch with her fists clenched at her sides. "I have information."

Abigail's gaze snapped to Sofia as the woman's voice entered her ears. She closed the distance between them swiftly and reached up to grab Sofia's shoulders. "You have the location of the amulet?"

"No." Sofia replied with a shake of her head. "But I do have something to tell you. I just want to do it in private."

Abigail watched Sofia's eyes flicker in Jonathan's direction and she turned to glance at him. She looked back at Sofia and scowled. "Anything you have to say to me you can say in front of Jonathan. I trust him."

"You shouldn't and I don't." Sofia retorted. "But considering there isn't much time I guess I'll tell you anyway. I woke Cedric and I spoke with him about the amulet and your goals."

"Go on..." Abigail said eagerly.

"I told him you intend to use the amulet to bring your family back but the amulet isn't capable of doing something like that." Sofia continued.

Abigail took a step back and looked at the older woman in confusion. "What? But the Amulet of Avalor is one of the most powerful magical items in the world."

"That's true. But it's not all-powerful and certainly not strong enough to do what you're wanting." Sofia replied. "Cedric said the only way for you to do what you're wanting is by ancient blood magic. He wasn't very descriptive but I'm sure if we could convince him to show you, he-"

"She's just trying to stall." Jonathan interjected loudly. "The stronger Cedric gets, the more of a threat he poses to you. She's trying to buy more time so he can strengthen himself against you."

Sofia shot a glare at Jonathan but rather than respond she returned her gaze to Abigail and shook her head. "That's not what I'm trying to do, Abigail. I'm trying to help you. Cedric didn't even want me telling you about this. He said it's too risky and doesn't think you'd be willing to sacrifice what would be asked of you to accomplish your goal but I thought I should tell you anyhow. The Amulet of Avalor can't bring your family back."

"She would say anything to help him." Jonathan continued in an effort to undermine Sofia's words. "I would go as far to say she's even fallen in love with him. That's why she's so eager to protect him."

Sofia was finding it harder to ignore Jonathan's words but she took a deep breath and held it before letting it out slowly to calm herself. "Abigail, you know that's not true. I've told you how I feel about Cedric. I may not hate him anymore but I'm not in love with him and I don't owe him anything. You told me you believe a peaceful solution is best. That's what I'm trying to offer to you; a peaceful solution."

Jonathan let out a scoff and stared hard at Sofia. "She's wasting your time, Abbs. Forget tomorrow morning, let's go and get the fucker now. Torture him in front of her. Or maybe we should torture her. Maybe then he'll talk."

Sofia gritted her teeth at Jonathan's words. She could take it no longer. She looked past Abigail to the man seated on the throne and glared at him. "You vile bastard! Stay out of this!"

Abigail stepped into Sofia's line of sight and held up a hand to warn her away. "Sofia, don't forget your place here."

Sofia turned an annoyed expression at the girl in front of her and shook her head in disbelief. "I'm trying to help you, Abigail. I understand your pain and your want for your family back. That's why I'm here telling you this now. The Amulet of Avalor can't help you but maybe Cedric can. This isn't some ploy or a plan to stall. Cedric didn't even want me to tell you any of this. I just thought you deserved to know the truth."

"The truth?" Abigail scoffed and crossed her arms as she looked the woman up and down. "The truth, Sofia, is that I don't trust a word that comes out of that bastard's mouth and you're stupid if you believe anything he says. He's only playing you for a fool and telling you what you want to hear to benefit himself."

Sofia narrowed her gaze at Abigail, realizing the discussion was a lost cause. The witch wasn't going to listen to her, just as Cedric had warned, and Jonathan was mostly to blame. She turned away from the girl and started toward the door with an irritated grumble. "It's funny you should say that about Cedric. I was just about to say the same to you about Jonathan."

Abigail watched as Sofia began exiting, slightly shocked by the older woman's audacity. "Wh-where are you going?"

"Back to my room." Sofia answered. "I'm done wasting my time trying to help you. Cedric said you wouldn't believe me and he was right. But I guess that's what I get for trying to help someone who can't even help herself."

Abigail gritted her teeth and followed Sofia's exit with a glare. "I still want the amulet! That's the only way your sister goes free!"

"I figured as much." Sofia said, pausing long enough to glance over her shoulder at the witch who was watching her angrily. "Just more waste of my time..."


	24. The Violence

AN: I've been very eager to share this chapter with you ever since I wrote the first draft of it. It's undergone several revisions and I think I'm finally at a place where I'm mostly content with it. (Honestly, I don't think I'll ever love it 100% but 95% is good enough, right?)

I'll have another update for you Wednesday morning (or Tuesday night because, if you still aren't aware, I'm impatient.)

I want to thank all of those who've been leaving reviews, especially those of you who take the time to review each chapter as you go along. You're just fantastic and I adore you! I hope everyone enjoys this chapter and I implore you all to please, please, please let me know what you think!

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Cedric awoke to find that the sun had not yet begun to shine on the world, though the sky outside the window was lightening with each passing second. He felt Sofia pressed up against him, her warmth and nearness the most comforting thing he'd felt in a long time.

He ran his free hand through his hair to brush the locks out of his face before placing the appendage against his wife's body to pull her closer. This caused her to stir and she let out a beautiful little groan that brought an unlikely smile to his face.

"You're awake?" Sofia asked sleepily.

"I'm awake." Cedric responded, doing his best to nestle down next to her. "The sun will be up shortly. We have very limited time now."

Sofia whimpered and pulled herself closer to the man she once loathed so much, afraid of what would happen to him after Abigail came to collect him. "I... I don't want you to die, Cedric."

Cedric couldn't help but snicker at his wife's words. "I'm relieved you've finally had a change of heart."

"That isn't funny." Sofia said sadly. "I wish you wouldn't joke like that."

"I'm sorry." Cedric replied, pressing his lips to the top of her head. He rested his cheek there and inhaled the scent of her while he still could before letting out a heavy sigh. "I'm going to miss waking up with you beside me."

Sofia shifted to look up at Cedric, his eyes swimming with so much emotion. She knew he must be thinking over what would be occurring later and as much as he liked to act like he was accepting his fate, she knew deep down he was terrified. There was little she could do to offer him comfort, she knew, but she still felt like she needed to try. She raised her hand to press against his face and brushed away a few silvery strands of hair that had fallen there. "Have I ever told you that I really admire your hair? I think the two tones really suit you."

"Yes, black like my soul and grey like my morals." Cedric muttered with a snort. "A perfect reflection of myself."

"No." Sofia shook her head and ran her fingers through the locks in front. "They're silver, like the lining of a rain cloud when the sun tries to break though. There is good in you, Cedric. I've seen it shine through no matter how hard you try to cover it up. For a while there I doubted there was good in you. It was like a storm that carries on for days and days with no sign of stopping and you almost forget that there's a sun shining somewhere behind all those clouds. Then, even if only for a moment, there's a break in the clouds and you can see the sun and you know it's still there."

Cedric looked his wife over in curiosity. "Sofia, where is all this coming from?"

"I just... I know that I might never have another chance to say any of this to you. I want to tell you now before it's too late." Sofia answered sadly. "I don't want you to leave this world thinking that I couldn't see the goodness in you. I see it there, Cedric. That's the part of you that I will always cling to, even after you're gone."

Cedric leaned forward, overwhelmed with emotion, and caught Sofia's mouth with his own. He kissed her cautiously at first and, to his relief, she didn't pull away this time. He slipped his tongue past her lips and rolled it delicately against hers. She was pulling herself closer to him, deepening their kiss. There was nothing sexual about this moment. It was purely affectionate and full of tenderness; everything he'd been longing for from the start.

He pulled back from her, mindful not to kiss her too long, lest the delicate moment be tarnished with lust.

He stared at her, a kind smile on her beautiful face as she looked his features over. He couldn't help but return her smile as he pressed his forehead against hers. "You know, I felt foolish for a while there... after I wrote you that letter. But being here with you now, like this, shows it was only a bit premature to put such things into writing."

"Letter?" Sofia's brow furrowed in confusion before she remembered the day she planned to leave the castle. Abigail had given her an envelope from Cedric but she had discarded it and refused to read it. A feeling of dread washed over her and she sunk her head down.

"You never read it, did you?" Cedric said with a sigh. "Oh well, perhaps that's for the best after all."

"I'm sorry. I should have read it." Sofia said softly. "What did it say?"

Cedric shook his head and let out a small laugh. "It doesn't matter now."

"What is it you told me?" Sofia said, pushing herself up. " _Everything_ we say and do matters. Your letter matters."

"Yes, but it was a bunch of humiliating, sentimental drivel that will do neither one of us any good right now." Cedric responded with a small shrug.

Sofia pulled away from Cedric and stepped off the bed. "It should still be around here somewhere. I left it on the bed so it should be..." She trailed off as she dropped to her knees and peered under the bed, spotting the discarded envelope immediately. "Aha!"

Cedric cringed as Sofia raised the envelope up triumphantly. "Sofia, really. If you read that now I think I might just die of embarrassment."

Sofia ignored Cedric's words and took a seat on the edge of the bed. She tore the envelope open and pulled the parchment out, unfolding it to read in the light coming in from the slowly rising sun. "My dearest love-"

"For my sake, _please_ don't read it out loud." Cedric interrupted.

Sofia cast Cedric a quick glance before smiling at him. She would have loved to watch his reaction as she read the letter aloud but she chose to spare him any more discomfort than he'd already been feeling. Instead she turned her eyes back to the letter and read it silently, though in her mind she could hear his voice speaking the honey-coated words.

 _My dearest love, I know things must be incredibly confusing for you right now. I'm sure there are many emotions that you're feeling and all of them are likely very perplexing. You should know that it's the same for me. Every inch of me fears what might happen if I allow my love for you to take me over. I've done my best to keep myself guarded but you're constantly there, breaking down my walls like a battering ram. I fear you might be my undoing if I continue to allow you to do this to me and yet, I don't want to ever stop you. Feeling love like this is so very new to me. Before now the only love my heart knew was my relationship with Wormwood but being with you now is more than I can describe. It's a new kind of love and I don't know how to handle it so I hope you'll forgive the many missteps I will make along the way. I feared that I had lost my heart the day Wormwood died but you have given me hope, Sofia. Hope that it's not lost, just buried somewhere deep, waiting for you to uncover it._

Sofia raised her gaze to Cedric, the man watching her with a reddened face. She blinked at him widely before turning her gaze back to the letter. "Cedric, this is..."

"Please, don't say anything." Cedric muttered. "I don't think I can take the ridicule."

Sofia stared at the letter, reading the last two lines over again. She grew tense and her eyes widened as the words seemed to resonate with something inside her. She gasped loudly and jumped to her feet, clenching the letter in her hands. "It's with Wormwood..."

"What?" Cedric's brow crinkled at his wife's words and he looked at her in confusion. "What did you say?"

"It's with Wormwood! Th-the amulet!" Sofia bolted to the bedroom door and began pounding on it vigorously. "Take me to Abigail! I know where the amulet is at!"

"Sofia, no!" Cedric shouted.

Sofia whirled around to look at Cedric. He was struggling against his restraint to try and get out of bed and that only solidified her belief that she knew exactly where the amulet was. "I'm right, aren't I? You told Abigail the amulet is close to your heart. Wormwood was your heart... _that's_ where the amulet is!"

"Sofia, please! You don't know what you're doing!" Cedric pleaded, trying vainly to break the thick wooden bedpost to which he was bound. "Please listen to me!"

Sofia turned back around when the bedroom door opened, ignoring Cedric's cries for her to stop. She hurried from the room with a guard at her side as she started down the hall. She was faster than her escort as she rushed down the stairs, calling for the witch. "Abigail! Abigail, I know where the amulet is!"

There came no response, however, so she carried on in the direction of Cedric's workshop as fast as her feet could carry her. She headed up the old, familiar stairs and burst through the door. Much to her surprise, Abigail was already present in the room and she seemed to be looking through Cedric's wands.

Abigail's eyes widened as she spun around to see Sofia standing in the doorway. "Sofia, what are you doing here?"

"I know where the amulet is!" Sofia said, out of breath as she held the letter up for Abigail to see. "C-Cedric had a pet raven, Wormwood. He was the dearest thing in the world to Cedric, practically his whole heart. That's what Cedric meant when he said the amulet is near his heart. Th-this remembrance shrine..." She threw her finger in the direction of Wormwood's decorated perch in the center of the room. "It has to be here somewhere."

Abigail looked the perch over but didn't see any sign of the amulet. She picked it up and moved it out of the way but there was nothing underneath it either, just the floor. She scowled at Sofia and crossed her arms over her chest. "Are you sure this is where it's supposed to be?"

"You should've seen the look on his face when I said it." Sofia replied, dropping to her knees to examine the stones in the center of the floor. She began trying each one of them until eventually one gave way. She pulled it out and stuck her hand inside the hole, pulling out a small box barely big enough to house anything at all. She stared at it in awe a moment before clutching it tightly in her hand. "If the amulet is in this box you'll free my sister immediately, won't you?"

"That's what I said I would do." Abigail replied, reaching for the box.

"I mean _immediately_." Sofia said firmly. "Before Jonathan or anything else can stop you?"

Abigail let out an irritated scoff. "Yes, now hand it over!"

Sofia shook her head. "No, I'm going to open it. If the amulet is there you'll let Amber go and then I'll give it to you."

"This isn't a negotiation, Sofia." Abigail warned. "You'll give me the box now."

"Abigail, listen..." Sofia began but the sound of footsteps rushing up the stairs silenced her. She looked behind her, heart dropping to the pit of her stomach as she saw Jonathan entering the room.

"What the fuck is going on?" Jonathan said, looking between the two women.

"She has the amulet." Abigail replied. "She won't give it to me."

Jonathan advanced on Sofia quickly and wrenched the box from the woman's hand. He glared at her as he passed the box to Abigail and stood with his arms crossed to block her path.

"Finally!" Abigail cried out happily, fidgeting with the clasp that kept the box locked. "Show me how to use it, Sofia."

Sofia watched Jonathan warily before turning her gaze to the witch. "First you let Amber go. Then I'll show you how to use it."

"No." Jonathan turned to Abigail and shook his head sternly. "If you let the princess go she won't have any incentive to help you."

"You just want to keep my sister around so you can continue to hurt her!" Sofia spat angrily. "Abigail, a deal is a deal. You get the amulet, my sister gets her freedom. That's what we agreed upon."

"She's only trying to trick you, Abbs." Jonathan inserted. "You're smarter than that."

"Shut up, both of you!" Abigail shouted, growing frustrated with the seal on the box. "I can't get it open."

Sofia reached for the box but Jonathan stepped between her and Abigail. She took a step back and tried to look around him at the witch. "I might be able to open it if you let me try."

Abigail ignored Sofia and moved the box over to the work desk. She picked up a wand and pointed it at the box in determination. " _Descuia_!"

Sofia watched as the box gave a shake but didn't open. Abigail struggled with it once more, her frustration becoming more and more evident. "Try using the wand you had before. It's Cedric's family wand so the magic should be familiar to the box. And try using his unlocking spell instead. _Effrego_."

Abigail glanced at Sofia and discarded the wand in her hand in favor of the one she'd been using all week. It was weak for her, but given that it was a sorcerer's family wand it made sense that she wouldn't be able to use it to its full potential under normal circumstances. She raised the wand toward the box and spoke the spell Sofia had given her. " _Effrego_!"

Sofia held her breath as the box gave another shake. This time, much to her relief, it popped open. She made a move to peer into the box but Jonathan stepped in to block her way. She could see past him, however, as a plume of black smoke began to billow out of the box. It filled the entire room leaving everything feeling extremely heavy and making it hard to breathe.

She felt herself suffocating on the thick smoke as it seemed to fill not only her lungs but her entire body as well, running through her almost as if searching for something.

She could only hear as the glass of the window shattered from the pressure in the room before the smoke dissipated entirely and she was finally able to catch a breath. She was left standing, blinking in confusion along with Abigail and Jonathan as the smoke cleared out of the workshop. "Wh-what was that?"

"You know damn well what that was, you bitch!" Jonathan shouted, wrapping his hands around Sofia's throat.

"Jonathan, stop!" Abigail screamed, reaching out to tug the man off of Sofia. "Don't hurt her! I gave a witch's oath that no harm would befall her!"

"Fuck your stupid oath, Abbs. I'm sick of dealing with this little bitch..." Jonathan said, throwing the witch off of him.

Abigail blinked at Jonathan in disbelief before raising the wand in her hand at him. "J-Jonathan, I don't want to hurt you. Just let her go. Please."

Jonathan froze and turned his gaze over his shoulder to see Abigail pointing the wand at him with a trembling hand. He released his hold on Sofia and turned to the witch with a wide smile. "Ah, come on now, Abbs. Put the wand down. You don't need to threaten me like that."

Abigail lowered the wand slightly, keeping her eyes on Jonathan. "If you hurt Sofia something terrible will happen to me because of that oath I took. I don't want that."

"You don't need to worry about that, Abbs." Jonathan said, raising his hand to pat the girl's cheek.

Abigail swallowed hard and looked up at the man as she lowered the wand entirely. "I don't?"

Jonathan snickered and shook his head before shifting his hand to clamp down tightly on the girl's throat.

"Abigail!" Sofia cried in horror. She bolted against Jonathan and grabbed ahold of him, doing her best to tug him off of the girl. "L-leave her alone!"

Jonathan ignored Sofia's desperate attempts to claw him away from the witch. He focused all his attention on strangling the life out of girl, enjoying the small struggle she put up as he cut off the blood flow to her brain. Her feet dangled just above the ground, kicking wildly at first before relenting to just a small sway.

There was pain and confusion on her face and she looked as though she was trying to speak but nothing more than raspy squeaks seemed to come from her.

Finally she went limp in his hand, the wand falling to the ground with a satisfying clatter. He released her and watched her slump to the floor before turning to face Sofia who looked tear-stricken and horrified. "Oh, don't look so shocked. You know exactly what I'm capable of."

"Y-you killed her." Sofia managed, looking at the witch sorrowfully. "How could you just kill her like that!? For no reason!?

"For no reason?" Jonathan let out a snort and rolled his eyes. "She just threatened me to protect _you_ of all people. Do you realize what a fucking insult that is? Besides, I was getting _so tired_ of her endless search for that god damned amulet. Seven years she's been looking for that thing and it's gotten me nowhere! I'm tired of waiting. She should've just been content with overthrowing your pathetic husband. She could've named herself queen and made me her king. All those witch bitches running the resistance movement would've probably been fine with that... but she was so worried about her fucking family she couldn't focus on what was really important. So now it looks like _you're_ my only chance at an uncontested throne."

Sofia stared up at Jonathan in dismay before spotting the wand laying not far from Abigail's lifeless body. She made a dash for it but Jonathan caught her by a fistful of her hair and yanked her back. She cried out in pain but refused to give him the pleasure of seeing just how badly it really hurt. "You're out of your mind if you think I'm going to give you the throne!"

"Oh, but you will." Jonathan said with a sneer. "Because if you don't I will keep fucking your sister every single day until she gives me a child. And once I have that child I'll be Regent until the little bastard is old enough to take my place, assuming nothing bad happens to him, of course."

Sofia stared up at Jonathan, completely mortified at his words. "Y-you're unbelievably evil."

"Like I said before, evil is subjective." Jonathan replied. "Now, let's go back to your room and finally put this blade in your husband's heart, shall we?"

Sofia's eyes widened as Jonathan produced the dagger he had lent to her. She tried to struggle against his hold but it was too painful to fight against the grip he had on her hair. He was dragging her at a speed almost too difficult to keep up with as he stormed along through the castle.

Guards were watching with shocked expressions as he yanked her along, kicking and screaming, but not a one of them stopped to help her.

By the time they reached her room her throat was raw from her screams and her head was throbbing in immeasurable pain but nothing felt nearly as terrible as when her gaze fell on Cedric and the look of horror on his face. "C-Cedric, I'm so sorry!"

"Get your fucking hands off of her!" Cedric bellowed, struggling against the restraint keeping him chained to the bed. "You harm a single hair on her head and I'll-"

"Oh? These hairs?" Jonathan said, throwing Sofia to the ground and shaking away the strands of her hairs that had dislodged from her scalp and entangled themselves around his fingers when he dragged her there.

"Cedric..." Sofia managed between her sobs. "H-he killed Abigail! He wants me to-"

Jonathan silenced Sofia by raising his booted foot to her head to push it slowly to the ground. "Shut up, bitch. That's the first rule you should learn as my future wife; keep your fucking mouth shut until I tell you to speak."

Cedric's gaze narrowed at Jonathan. "What did you just say?"

"Your little wife here... she's mine now." Jonathan replied. "See, I'm not going to make the same mistake that you did. What good is a throne if some discontented peasants are always trying to throw you off of it? I want my rule over Enchancia to be uncontested. So, I gave her the honor of choosing for me. I either rule as Regent by having a little bastard child with her sister or she can marry me and make me king instead. Now you're the only obstacle in my way."

"Then you'd better kill me now." Cedric said with a low, feral growl. "Because when I get free you're as good as dead."

Jonathan let out a laugh and rolled his eyes at the older man. "I don't think you could break free from there at full strength, let alone this weakened state that you're in."

"I think you'd be surprised what I can do." Cedric warned. "I'm going to tell you one time, _get_ _away_ _from my wife_."

Jonathan smirked and reached down to grab Sofia up by a fistful of her hair. He then yanked her to the opposite side of the room and threw her down on the floor, kneeling to cut the gown she wore from her body. "You have my permission to scream."

"Don't do this in front of Cedric! Please!" Sofia managed to rasp out, shaking the streams of tears from her face. " _Please_ , Jonathan..."

"I said you could scream." Jonathan muttered, raising his hand to strike Sofia across her face. "I didn't say you could beg."

Sofia did her best to stifle her sobs and clenched her eyes shut as Jonathan struck her. The sound of Cedric's voice calling out to her reached her ears, though he sounded so far away. She could feel Jonathan's hands on her arms, grabbing her to turn her onto her stomach and it was all she could do just to lay there with her eyes closed until she felt him pull back.

"What the fuck is that?" Jonathan's brow furrowed in confusion as he stared down at Sofia but he didn't get the chance to say another word before he felt a chain wrapping around his throat and pulling tightly.

Sofia pushed herself up as she heard Jonathan struggling. She dared a glance behind her to see Cedric looming over the man, chain from his shackle pulled tight across Jonathan's throat. Her gaze flew to the bedpost to see that Cedric had broken it in an adrenaline fueled rage. When she returned her eyes to her husband she saw that he now had Jonathan flat on his back, using the other end of the shackle like a weapon to batter him across his face. Blood was already decorating everything in the vicinity with its vibrant red splatter.

She watched as though in a trance as Cedric relentlessly beat Jonathan with the heavy metal fetters. She could hear the sound of bones crunching under the force of the wallops and some of the man's teeth were flying from his mouth and skidding to a bloody halt just short of her. Everything seemed to be moving extremely slow as Cedric delivered blow after blow leaving the man's jaw area completely obliterated and spouting crimson as he choked and gurgled on his own blood.

Still, as much damage as Cedric had done, Jonathan was doing his best to put up a fight. He was trying to push himself up with one hand while swiping vainly at his assailant with the other. Cedric kept him down with a bare foot and full body weight against his throat and began striking him in the side of the head in return.

Eventually Jonathan's struggling began to cease and his body movements became more or less involuntary convulsions. Soon after that the only motion he made was caused by the blows being delivered to his now concave skull.

It felt like an entire lifetime passed by before Sofia realized that Jonathan was no longer moving of his own volition, though Cedric was still pummeling him viciously. She shook herself back to her senses and called out to her husband in a weak voice. "Cedric, stop! H-he's dead..."

Cedric froze as he heard Sofia's voice entering his conscious mind. He kept his eyes pointed downward at what remained of Jonathan's face and heaved for breath, blood trickling down from his features to rejoin with its source. "I-I warned him to get away from you."

Sofia did her best to rise to her feet but before she could fully stand she saw her husband collapse to the floor. She stumbled over to him and grasped him tightly, shaking him as well as her trembling limbs would allow. "Cedric! Cedric!"


	25. My Life Inside Your Heart

AN: I really don't even know how to start this author's note so I'm just starting it by telling you that I don't know how to start it.

Reading everyone's reactions to the previous chapter was the best thing I've experienced in along while. I love your reviews and you always manage to make me smile. I can't thank you all enough. You guys give me so much inspiration and joy, words can't describe.

So the next couple chapters will be on the shorter side. It can't be helped. Unfortunately that is the nature of the beast. I hope you can forgive me! There will absolutely be an update Friday morning (and OMFG the new episode also on Friday, you guys! Can you even!?) so I will see you bright and early on Friday with a fresh new chapter!

Anyhow, please enjoy this chapter and let me know what you think!

* * *

Cedric groaned as he felt something cold pressed against his forehead. He opened his eyes slowly to the dim light of a single candle to see Sofia staring down at him. Relief washed over him and he cast her a wide smile. "You're safe."

"Yes, I am." Sofia replied softly. "Thanks to you."

"How long have I been out?" Cedric mumbled.

"One week." Sofia answered, running the cool rag in her hand across Cedric's forehead once more before trailing it down the side of his face. "How do you feel?"

"Like I bludgeoned someone to death." Cedric replied with a chuckle. "And like I could sleep for a thousand more weeks."

Sofia offered Cedric a small smile and wiped the other side of his face with the cool rag. "Good. You should get as much rest as you need."

"I can't be expected to get decent rest without my beautiful wife in my arms." Cedric said but as he made a motion to reach for the woman he realized that his hands were bound above his head. "Wh- S-Sofia!"

"I'm sorry, Cedric." Sofia said quietly. "It would've been foolish of me not to."

Cedric scowled and did his best to wriggle from the restraints but to no avail. It was then that he noticed his feet were similarly bound. "A bit overzealous, don't you think?"

"You broke through a bedpost six inches in diameter." Sofia retorted.

"To protect you!" Cedric shouted. "To save you! And this is the thanks I get!?"

"The alternative was letting the royal guard hang you for treason." Sofia said quietly. "Which was everyone else's immediate suggestion. Baileywick practically had the gallows prepped and ready as soon as he entered the castle courtyard."

"You've taken the castle back." Cedric sighed and lulled his head to the side.

Sofia looked Cedric over calmly and sat the cool rag aside. "What did you expect to happen, Cedric? Honestly?"

"I had hoped that..." Cedric kept his gaze averted from his wife, his brow crinkling. "I suppose a part of me thought that once we reclaimed the castle we would continue to rule as king and queen."

"But you're not the rightful king, Cedric." Sofia replied. "And I'm not the rightful queen. And you and I can't... th-things between us are different now."

Cedric snapped his gaze back to Sofia and shook his head. "Things are not different. Whether I'm king or prisoner I still feel the same about you."

Sofia turned her gaze away from her husband and wrapped her arms around herself. "Please don't say that."

"Why? Because it's too painful to hear?" Cedric retorted. "It's also the truth. I love you, Sofia."

"Cedric, please." Sofia shook her head and wrapped her arms tighter around herself. "This is already hard enough. Don't make it any harder on me."

"Oh, you can be damn sure I'm going to make it hard on you, Sofia. You're my wife! I love you! I'm not going to just let you discard me in some cell like... like... l-like I did to you..." Cedric trailed off and looked away from his wife in shame. "Though I suppose that's exactly what I deserve."

"I'm not an eye for an eye type of person. I think you know that." Sofia said, inching closer to him. "But I don't know what else to do. I don't want you dead but I can't just let you go. I feel that I have no other options."

"Why don't we leave together?" Cedric said hopefully. "We could start a life somewhere else, far away from here. That's what you said you wanted back when we were in that woman's barn. We could still have that. A-all of us. Your family too."

Sofia shook her head and let out a huff of disbelief. "Cedric, it's too late for that. You had your chance back then and you chose the throne."

"That was a mistake, Sofia." Cedric said sadly. "I should've chosen you."

"But you didn't." Sofia replied. "So here we are."

"Are you just going to rule alone as Regent, then?" Cedric asked, looking his wife over in concern. "Or will you remarry?"

Sofia sighed, knowing that her plans for the throne were none of Cedric's business at this point, though she couldn't help but answer his worrisome queries. "I have every magic user in the kingdom looking for a way to reverse what happened to my family. It's only a matter of time before they're successful. Dad will be able to reclaim his rightful place on the throne and I'll be able to move onto other, more important things."

"More important than ruling over an entire kingdom?" Cedric asked skeptically.

Sofia cast her eyes downward and let a small smile come to her lips. "There are some things that are far more important than ruling over an entire kingdom, Cedric, even one as grand as Enchancia."

Cedric watched his wife curiously, something about her demeanor striking him as odd. Despite this uncomfortable situation between them she seemed to be in high spirits, though he chalked that up to being little more than the fact that she had bested him.

He looked away from her, his thoughts drifting to what his life might be like in a prison cell. "Will you come to see me when I'm locked away?"

"I think I'll have to." Sofia said with a shrug. "There's no one else I would trust to bring you your meals."

"As long as you aren't bringing me gruel." Cedric said with a small laugh. "I think I could live with only seeing you three times a day."

"I don't want you to misconstrue things." Sofia replied quietly. "Those visits will be brief, for my sake as well as yours."

"Sofia..." Cedric began to plead but he was silenced by his wife's finger against his lips. He stared up at her, a sorrowful expression on her face as she stood and started away from him. "Sofia!"

"Get some rest while you can." Sofia said softly. "I'll be bringing you something to eat later and preparing you for your transfer to a cell."

Cedric watched in dismay as his wife retreated. He tried calling for her but his shouts fell on deaf ears as she opened the door and exited, closing it and locking it behind her.

Sofia pressed her back against the door and let out a heavy sigh as Cedric's voice calling to her rang in her ears. She did her best to take a few calming breaths and let her head fall against the heavy wooden door until she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you alright, Queen Sofia?" Baileywick asked in concern as he looked the woman over.

Sofia reached up to brush away a tear that had managed to make its way to her face and forced a smile at the castle steward. "I'm fine, Baileywick. I'm just feeling a bit overwhelmed. I have a lot I still have to do."

"I wish you would let me take some of the burden off of you." Baileywick offered. "All things considered-"

"You've been through just as much as I have in the past few weeks, Baileywick." Sofia said, casting the man a wink as she bypassed him.

"That is not what I meant and you know it." Baileywick said scoldingly, though he knew the woman was ignoring him. He grumbled under his breath and followed after her as she started off.

Sofia walked through the halls with a purpose in the direction of Cedric's workshop. She made her way up the stairs swiftly and into the workshop where Lily and Lucinda were sifting through all of Cedric's belongings. "Any luck?"

"Nothing." Lucinda replied. "I swear, he's the most meticulous bastard I've ever seen but I can't find _anything_ referencing what spell he may have used on your family, not even in all his notes."

Sofia let out a disappointed sigh. "Do you think it might be here at all?"

Lucinda glanced around the room, feeling that she had only scratched the surface of all the books and scrolls there. "It _might_ be but I seriously doubt it. I'll keep looking though. I've got nothing but time on my hands."

"Thank you, Lucinda." Sofia said with an uneasy smile before turning her attention to Lily. "And what about the box? Did Indigo find anything?"

Lily shook her head in response to the queen. "Unfortunately there didn't seem to be any residue on the inside of the box for any of us to discern what it actually contained. Indigo couldn't pick up anything out of the ordinary. Whatever caused the plume of smoke you described, it left no trace."

"So we have no leads then." Sofia muttered, plopping down on the nearby stool.

"How did things go with your husband?" Lily asked curiously. "Did you dose him with my truth potion?"

"Yes, but I couldn't bring myself to ask him about the amulet or the box." Sofia said with sigh. "I know he'd likely give me the same answer that he gave Abigail about the amulet and I don't want to waste any more time trying to figure out _that_ cryptic clue. And with the box... well, I didn't want to bring up the touchy subject of disturbing Wormwood's shrine so I left that alone too."

"Did you get any useful information at all?" Lucinda asked in slight annoyance.

Sofia shook her head and kept her gaze downward. "No. And even with the potion working on him, he didn't really speak any differently than he normally does so he didn't reveal anything he wouldn't have already. I guess at least I know he's been genuine in his words to me lately, though I'm pretty sure that just makes things worse. It would be easier if he'd just been playing me instead of actually loving me."

"How did he react to the news?" Lily pried.

Sofia sucked in a deep breath and blew it out slowly. "He was understandably upset but I think he realizes there will be no changing my mind. He knows what he's done and now he has to pay for it. I think he's accepting his fate."

Lily shook her head and crossed her arms. "You know that's not the news that I meant."

"I..." Sofia averted her gaze from everyone in the room and clasped her hands together. "I didn't tell him."

"Don't you think he's going to notice eventually?" Lucinda interjected. "Unless you want to do something about it. I know a potion that will take care of the problem."

"It's not a problem. It's a second chance, I think." Sofia whispered. "I just can't bring myself to tell him. It would be too hard."

Lily reached out and grabbed Sofia's hand, shaking her head at the woman solemnly. "I know it might be hard but you need to tell him. My father had no idea about me until I showed up on his doorstep after my mother died. I think he resented her so much for not telling him that he eventually began taking it out on me. I'm not saying your husband is like that but... he deserves to know that you're carrying his child."

"He deserves no such thing." Baileywick chimed in, closing the distance between himself and Sofia. "He's already going to try relentlessly to free himself from prison. I imagine it would be tenfold if he knows you're with child. That man deserves the gallows, not a chance to be a father."

Lily watched Sofia's face, seeing how conflicted she appeared. She pulled the queen's hand and gave her a kind smile. "Can we talk privately a moment?"

Baileywick furrowed his brow and crossed his arms over his chest. "Miss Lily, you know you're my favorite witch but-"

"Hey! What am I!?" Lucinda shouted. "Chopped newt?"

"It's fine, Baileywick." Sofia stood from the stool and allowed Lily to pull her out of the room as she led her from the workshop to Cedric's former sleeping quarters. She glanced around the small room in awe. She had only ever seen it once before, out of curiosity when she was a child, but it had somehow seemed so much bigger then. Now it seemed minuscule and hardly fit for the king Cedric fancied himself to be.

The room was plain and simple, with few pieces of furniture and even less character. It lacked any color outside of a few faded trinkets hanging on the wall above his bed; drawings and other things that she had given him. Sorrow overwhelmed her and she found she had to return her eyes to the witch in front of her for fear of crying.

"Sofia, I'm not going to tell you what you should or shouldn't do regarding your baby. I'm sure we all have an opinion on what you should do but quite frankly, it's nobody's business but yours and your husband's. Personally, I think you should tell him but given the circumstances I understand why you might not. Either way, it's not really my business, nor is it Baileywick's or Lucinda's... or anybody else's."

"Thank you, Lily. I think I needed to hear that." Sofia said with a grateful smile.

Lily nodded to the queen and returned her smile. "You should just follow your heart and I'm sure the answer will come to you."

"Follow my heart?" Sofia said with a small snicker. "Honestly, I'm not even sure what that means anymore. Are we talking about the physical heart in my chest or are we talking about the metaphorical one which is so terribly open for interpretation? Because if you mean the latter... I've had about all I can take of that concept."

Lily cocked her head to the side at looked at Sofia in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I've spent weeks now racking my brain over what Cedric could've possibly meant when he told Abigail that the amulet was near to his heart." Sofia said with a sigh. "And I've come up with nothing. He didn't mean his family, he didn't mean Wormwood and Abigail spent enough time digging around in his chest cavity to prove that he didn't mean his actual heart. I'm _so_ tired of thinking over the concept of the heart, I don't think I ever even want to hear that word again."

Lily stared at the queen in slight disbelief before giving her a small smile. "I'm surprised at you, Queen Sofia. You're a fairly intelligent woman but you seem to be ignoring the obvious."

Sofia's brow crinkled and she looked to the witch at a loss. "What do you mean?"

"You said yourself, he _actually_ loves you." Lily said with a shrug. "And you know he does because he said it while under the influence of a potent truth potion. Your husband may be a difficult man to read at times but I don't think it's so difficult to figure out where his heart really lies."

"Y-you mean me?" Sofia muttered, taking a step back. "But I... I don't have the amulet. And Cedric would've never given it to me. It would have been too risky."

"Perhaps it would be risky." Lily agreed. "But perhaps, for him, it would have been far riskier for you to not have the protection it provides."

"Then where is it?" Sofia said with an exasperated sigh.

Lily shrugged again and cast Sofia a small smile. "I can't answer that for you. There's only one person who knows for sure. And with my truth potion still flowing through his veins for at least another hour or so, I'd say now is as good of a time as any to ask."

Sofia blinked down at the ground in thought, a nervous kind of hope rising up in the pit of her stomach at the thought that she could be so close to getting the amulet.

She turned away from Lily quickly and started back through the workshop and out, down the stairs in the direction of the room they were keeping Cedric in. She felt like her feet couldn't carry her fast enough as she ran through the halls back to her husband. She produced a set of keys from a small purse she kept at her side and unlocked the door as soon as she reached it.

For a moment she froze as she saw Cedric turn his eyes to her and her determination fled. The thought that Lily might have been wrong, that she _wasn't_ what Cedric meant when he spoke of his heart, was almost too painful of a thought to bear; nearly as painful as the thought that Lily was right and that she really did mean that much to him after all.

She swallowed hard and approached him apprehensively, stopping just short of the bed to stare down at him. "Cedric, am I your heart?"

Cedric looked up at Sofia with wide eyes. He opened his mouth to say anything but the truth, though that was all that came rolling out. "Of course you are, Sofia. You're... you're everything to me."

"So where is the amulet?" Sofia said firmly despite that she felt her voice trying to fail her. "Is it in my old room? Somewhere else I wouldn't think to look? Where?"

"It's within you." Cedric answered. "It has been ever since the uprising."

Sofia blinked down at Cedric in shock. The amulet had been inside her, all that time. Question after question flooded her mind and she couldn't decide which to ask first so they all came spilling out. "How? A-and why? When did you-"

"After I lost Wormwood I was devastated. King or not, I... I felt like I didn't want to carry on anymore. All those dark feelings I used to have about just ending it all resurfaced again and they were stronger than they'd ever been. I was going to leave this world and the entire mess I'd created behind but I couldn't leave you without some form of protection. You would be all alone in the world and I couldn't leave without insuring your safety. The night I planned to end my life I had the chef slip something into your food to make you sleep. I had many things I wanted to say but I wasn't brave enough to say them to your waking face." Cedric muttered. "I was such a coward..."

Sofia watched over her husband's face and the sorrow there as he trailed off. He had a far off look in his eyes as though he was recalling the painful memory. There was silence between them for a long while before she made an effort to regain his attention. "Cedric?"

"I-I was going to just leave you the amulet and go but as I said my apologies and goodbyes to your sleeping form something struck me. I looked down at you there, still so young and vulnerable, and I realized I couldn't leave you alone in a world like this. I had taken your family and left you with nothing. I reasoned that even if I was all you had, maybe it was still _something_. So I decided to stay and continue on, if only so that you wouldn't be alone." Cedric returned his gaze to his wife and forced a sad smile. "I still wanted you to have the protection of the amulet, though. I wanted you to have some security just in case anything happened to me; another uprising or perhaps just me losing the internal battle with myself to remain in this world. But I knew I couldn't just give it to you outright so I performed a ritual to place the amulet within your heart so that you would always have its protection no matter what happened."

"So..." Sofia looked down at herself in awe. "So the amulet has been with me this entire time? I-in my heart?"

"Yes, though it did leave a rather charming outline on your back where it sunk through your flesh during the ritual." Cedric said softly. "Do you understand now why I wouldn't tell you the location? I knew you would've given your life to free your family and that's precisely what that witch would've taken from you. There is no magic to remove the amulet. It is forever with you, keeping you protected as it once did when you wore it on your neck. Only now no one can take it from you. Not even me."

"I see." Sofia said, turning away from Cedric slowly. "Cedric, I... I have to go."

Cedric lulled his head to the side in reluctant acceptance and sighed. "I understand. I love you, Sofia."

"I know you do." Sofia replied, pausing to look back at him sorrowfully. "I no longer have any doubts about that, Cedric. Thank you."


	26. Broken

AN: I always get impatient when I prep a chapter for posting and end up posting it almost immediately after I prep it so here we go with another chapter being posted ahead of schedule. And at the risk of this author's note being even longer than the chapter itself, I want to go over a couple things...

About the location of the amulet:

The original location of the amulet was actually meant to be with Wormwood all along but as I started down the longer story path and everything began to evolve on its own Cedric's character became far more genuine in his feelings for Sofia than I'd originally intended. By that point I knew the amulet should actually be with her, even though I already had the letter he wrote to her in play when Abigail gave it to her. Rather than ignore the letter and hope you all forgot about it I decided to use it to demonstrate Sofia's doubt in Cedric's love of her (as well as still being able to use my original idea of having the amulet be with Wormwood.)

Suiren Shinju also mentioned the timing of Sofia being aware of her pregnancy:

I knew from the beginning that I wanted Sofia to end up pregnant. On the shorter path the story was originally going to take, several months were meant to go by (which would have been glossed over) with Cedric and Sofia being sexually active the entire time. Upon taking this longer story path, however, things became faster paced and there really wasn't time to slip more sex scenes in. That being said, I used my own fertility cycle as reference and it is quite plausible that Sofia would have already gotten pregnant and missed her period two weeks later. Not to mention, the witches can read auras and certainly would have noticed and informed Sofia immediately of the tiny little aura growing in her womb.

Anyhow... thank you as always for the reviews! I love reading all of your reactions and I feel like I keep saying that time after time but it's true. You guys are the best and I adore you. Please enjoy this chapter, short as it is. Next update will be Saturday morning (or, more realistically, tomorrow some time after I prep the damn thing.) Please let me know what you think!

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Sofia stood nervously in the middle of the throne room with her family before her. They were all seated, staring off into nothingness as they had been for the past several years.

Nerves were dancing in her stomach, making it hard to contain her emotions as she trembled in worry. Doubts were still filling her about what the best course of action might be regarding her family. The concerns she had expressed to Lily were valid and at the forefront of her mind as she stared at the four of them. Further, there was no guarantee that the amulet's magic would be able to undo Cedric's spell.

She felt a hand clamp down on her shoulder and she turned her gaze behind her to see Baileywick giving her a reassuring smile.

"One at a time would be a wise idea." Baileywick offered. "That way we can know what to expect and better prepare for the others."

Sofia nodded, looking over her family in concern. It was hard to choose who she would try to restore first, though she knew her step-father would likely be the wisest choice. After all, the kingdom had been without its rightful king for long enough.

She stepped over to Roland and took a deep breath, reaching down to clasp his hands as she closed her eyes. She focused hard, reaching into the depths of herself in hopes that the amulet would heed her call for its assistance. "I wish to remove the curse on this man."

Baileywick held his breath as he watched in anticipation. At first it seemed as though nothing was happening until a light began emanating from Sofia. It filled the room with its glow, faint at first before flashing blindingly bright. It then dissipated in an instant and left a strange sense of calm in the air.

Sofia pried one hesitant eye open before blinking down at her step-father. He was staring up at her, though his eyes no longer seemed lifeless or empty. He was even gripping her hands in return. "D-Dad?"

"Sofia!" Roland cried out, jumping to his feet to throw his arms around his step-daughter.

"Dad!" Sofia let out a happy laugh, tears now streaming down her face. She pulled the man into a tight embrace and buried her face against his chest. "You're okay! You're _you!_ "

"Yes I am, thanks to you." Roland said happily before pulling back from the young woman. "What are you waiting for? Help the others."

Sofia smiled and started over to her mother eagerly, repeating her command to the amulet. As it had done with Roland, the amulet removed the curse keeping Miranda in a state of stupor. Her mother hugged her instantly, gripping her so tightly it didn't feel like she was ever going to let go. "Mom!"

"Oh, my sweet Sofia." Miranda said with a relieved sigh. "My strong, brave girl. I am so, _so_ proud of you and the woman you've become. It's so nice to finally be able to say that to you."

"Do you... remember what happened?" Sofia asked nervously.

"Yes." Miranda replied with a solemn nod.

Sofia's face fell and she pulled back to look at her mother in concern. "E-everything?"

"Yes." Miranda answered. "But we can discuss that all later. Right now you should bring your brother and sister back to their true selves."

An ill feeling swept over Sofia as she glanced at Amber. "But Mom..."

"I know, sweetheart." Miranda said grimly, glancing at her husband. "We all know."

"H-he did it in front of you?" Sofia croaked out, looking at her mother in horror.

Miranda bowed her head and Roland followed suit. She reached for her husband's hand and gripped it tightly before returning her gaze to her daughter. "It's alright, sweetheart. Just do what you need to do. We'll handle the aftermath as best we can."

Sofia turned her eyes away from her parents, new tears overwhelming her face. These were far from the happy tears of being reunited with her family. These were now tears of sorrow for her sister's plight. She turned to James first, using her words and the amulet's abilities to bring the former prince back to himself. He was grateful and greeted her with a hug but he seemed in a grim mood at the prospect of what Amber might be going through internally.

She approached her sister cautiously and took the woman's hands in her own. She knew there would be no turning back once she brought her sister out of the hell she was in, though she knew she was only bringing her into a new form of hell that was maybe only slightly better than what she was currently experiencing.

She closed her eyes and gripped Amber's hands tightly as she spoke to the amulet within her heart. "I wish to remove the curse on this woman."

The royal family watched, breath held tightly in their lungs, as the same bright light filled the room once more before disappearing with a flash.

When it was gone Sofia looked her sister over nervously for a reaction. For a moment there was nothing at all and she feared that perhaps it hadn't worked. After all, the amulet must have known she was apprehensive about the action. It was possible it chose to ignore her command because she didn't feel completely right about it in her heart. But then, much to her dismay, Amber let out a terrible sob and slumped forward onto the ground.

Sofia dropped to her knees in front of the woman instantly and wrapped her arms tightly around her.

"S-S-Sofia!" Amber screamed, clutching her sister desperately.

"Amber, I'm so sorry." Sofia rasped out against her sister's shoulder as she held the other woman close. "He's gone now. He can't hurt you anymore... he's dead."

But her efforts to comfort her sister were fruitless. Amber let out a gut wrenching cry that seemed to echo through the entire castle. It was all she could do to pull her sister's head close against her chest and stroke her hair as their other family members joined in the embrace.

Sofia could only stare ahead of her, wondering where they would all go from there.


	27. Have Mercy

AN: So if you thought that last chapter was short you're going to be disappointed with this one. It's even shorter. The next chapter will be a little longer, but not by much. :(

Because I can't thank you enough for all your reviews... THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR REVIEWS! I never wanted to be one of those authors who ransoms their story for reviews but I will say, hearing all your input definitely lit a fire under my ass and kept me motivated to post.

So please let me know what you think about this chapter and get geared up for Sunday morning because you will not want to miss that chapter, I promise you. Enjoy!

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"Cedric is to be hanged for his crimes." Roland said, staring down at his step-daughter who had been pleading with him for the past hour to reconsider his decision. "And that is my final stance on the matter."

"But Dad..." Sofia said, doing her best to fight her tears. "There are other ways."

"Yes there are, but none that he deserves." Roland replied.

Miranda looked at her daughter in concern and stood from her seat to approach the young woman. "Sweetheart, I know that you've never been one for the maximum punishment but surely you must understand why it's necessary in this situation. He's a powerful man who has proven time and time again that he can not be given an opportunity. We already gave him a second chance and look how he repaid us."

"You didn't give him a second chance." Sofia muttered. "He told me all the things you said to him behind closed doors. You made him feel worse than he did before."

"Are you defending him?" Roland asked in disbelief.

"No, I'm not." Sofia replied, shaking her head. "There is no excuse for what he did and certainly no justification for it. I'm just telling you what he told me."

Roland crossed his arms over his chest a looked his step-daughter over skeptically. "The fact remains, he has twice committed crimes of treason and he shall receive just punishment."

"Dad, I really wish you would reconsider." Sofia continued to plead.

"Sofia, sweetheart, is there a reason why you don't wish for Cedric to be executed?" Miranda asked her daughter softly. "Outside of your own moral beliefs?"

Sofia lowered her gaze, unwilling to tell her parents so soon after returning them to their rightful states that she was pregnant with their captor's child. The information might be too much to handle. Worse, it might cause them to hasten Cedric's execution. "It's just that... h-he's my husband."

"Yes, something he forced upon you in exchange for our well-being." Roland replied. "He manipulated you into agreeing to be his bride because he knew you wouldn't leave us to rot in that prison cell."

"I was the one who made that suggestion." Sofia reminded her step-father. "And I knew what I was getting into when I agreed to marry him. I entered into it willingly and-"

"Sofia, this isn't up for debate." Roland said sternly. "People have been hung for lesser crimes. Look at all he's done. Look at the years that were stolen from us. Look at what happened to Amber because of-"

"Because of Jonathan." Sofia said, anger suddenly overwhelming her. "Do _not_ put that on Cedric. _Jonathan_ was the one who hurt Amber. Nobody else was responsible for that man's actions but himself. He was a vile monster and purely evil."

"And if he wasn't already dead he would be there at the gallows come sunrise tomorrow, right beside Cedric." Roland said. "His actions, no matter how deplorable, do not excuse or lessen what Cedric did to us."

"I know that." Sofia replied quietly.

"So you understand why I am so adamant about this." Roland responded, looking his daughter over expectantly.

"Cedric could have killed you, you know." Sofia spoke, still staring up at her parents in desperation. "He could have killed any of us at any time... but he didn't. I think the fact that he didn't speaks volumes about the kind of man he really is. He spared our lives. I think we owe him at least that in return."

"The only thing we owe him is exactly what he gave to us." Roland said firmly. "He put us through pure hell, so that's exactly where we'll send him. Now, can we please end this discussion? I have too much on my plate and very little time to deal with it all. The kingdom is in turmoil, diplomats from all over are anxiously awaiting an official statement and I still have to worry about your sister who's health is my foremost concern. Cedric will be executed come sunrise and that is all there is to it. Do you understand?"

Sofia opened her mouth to protest but the look on both of her parent's faces told that she needed to snap it back shut. She lowered her head in disappointment and looked away from them sadly. "Yes, I understand."

* * *

AN #2: This is one of those special chapters where the lyrics of the song for which it is titled actually apply. The song is Have Mercy by 'Til Tuesday if you are interested in listening to/looking up lyrics.


	28. The Only Hope For Me Is You

AN: Hey, guess what! I'm impatient and couldn't wait to post this 'til tomorrow morning so you're getting it this evening. Surprise!

Soooooo... welcome to the last chapter of Offer Your Throat to the Wolf.

As promised, I will tell you how the shorter version was going to play out. It will be in the second author's note at the end.

For the final time in this story, THANK YOU BEAUTIFUL SOULS for all of your reviews! I try (and fail) to convey just what your reviews mean to me but I don't think I can ever describe how much your words mean.

Without further ado, please enjoy and let me know what you think. :)

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Sofia stood outside the door, wavering on whether or not she ought to do what she had been compelled to do only moments earlier. The repercussions could be massive and there would be no explaining away what she'd done if she was caught. Ultimately, however, she knew that she could live with the consequences of her actions. What she couldn't live with was allowing the father of her child to be executed, even if it was a justifiable punishment.

Without a second thought she turned the key in the lock on the door and opened it as silently as possible. The room was dark but she'd thankfully had the foresight to bring a wand with her. She used it to illuminate her path from the doorway to the bed where Cedric slept.

She didn't bother with the noisy, jingling keys this time. Rather, she used the wand to unlock her husband's restraints before tucking the tool away. She leaned over the man to wake him quietly but the sound of someone speaking to her caught her off guard.

"Sofia, what are you doing?" A voice rang out in the darkness, though it wasn't Cedric's. It was Baileywick's.

Sofia whirled around to face the man and looked at him in shock. "Baileywick! I... I just..."

Baileywick let out a heavy sigh and shook his head, lowering the candelabra in his hand to the nearest surface he could find as he stepped into the room. "I should have guessed you would try something as reckless."

"Baileywick, you have to understand." Sofia said sadly. "He's the father of my child."

"Which is the only reason I'm going to help you." Baileywick chided. "Now hurry up. You're going to have to be a lot faster than this if you want to sneak him out of here in time."

Sofia cast Baileywick a wide, grateful smile and moved to throw her arms around him. She then pulled away and started quickly over to Cedric's bedside, leaning down to shake her husband awake. "Cedric, wake up."

Cedric let out an irritated groan as he felt someone shaking him. He peeked through one eye to look at his assailant but saw in surprise that it was his wife staring down at him. "Sofia, you're back!" He bolted up and realized instantly that his hands and feet were no longer bound. Confusion set in until he glanced over to see Baileywick standing there looking quite perturbed. "Are you moving me to a cell now?"

"Shh..." Sofia commanded, placing her finger to her lips. She reached out and grabbed Cedric's hand to pull him from the bed but, to her dismay, he seemed to have trouble standing. "What's wrong?"

"I've been bedridden for virtually two weeks." Cedric replied. "Not to mention I'm still incredibly weak."

Baileywick let out an irritated growl and moved to support Cedric on his shoulder. "Sofia, grab the candelabra and follow me this way. There's a secret passage in the hall that will get us to where we need to go."

Sofia did as Baileywick instructed and followed the two men out of the room through a false wall on the opposite side of the hallway. From there they traveled for what felt like an eternity down a long, winding passage that eventually let them out a short walk from the stables. It was then a matter of sneaking past a handful of guards to the royal stables where there were only a few horses on hand. As Baileywick moved to ready a horse she turned her attention to Cedric and the confusion plastered on his face.

"I was able to restore my family to their rightful states." Sofia said, a bit apprehensively.

Cedric's eyes widened in horror but he quickly forced a smile for his wife's sake. "So the amulet actually could reverse what I'd done. Th-that's wonderful news, my love."

"For me, yes." Sofia said. "But not for you. They want to hang you come sunrise. That's why you need to leave."

"And... you're not going to come with me, are you?" Cedric said before answering his own question with a snicker. "Of course you're not. You finally have your family back. Why would you leave with _me_?"

"I don't want to have to send you off, Cedric. I pleaded with my parents but they wouldn't listen to reason." Sofia replied softly. "You have to go now while you can."

Cedric shook his head and reached out to clasp his wife's hands. "Sofia, I'm not afraid to face my punishment. I've committed horrible crimes against you and your family and I should pay for them."

Sofia stared at Cedric in disbelief. "Where is this coming from? Earlier this morning you-"

"Earlier this morning I still thought that we might have a chance together." Cedric replied. "But that was foolish of me to think for even a moment. One way or another you were going to undo what I had done to your family. This is the inevitable end. Running away and leaving you behind is the last thing I want to do. I might as well be dead at that point, so letting your family do it and giving them some sense of retribution is the better solution."

"Cedric, you can't give up so easily." Sofia said sadly. "You can't just quit living."

Cedric shrugged and cast his wife a solemn smile. "I know you don't understand, Sofia. You have so much to live for. But trust me when I say that everyone will be better off this way, _especially_ you."

"Cedric, that's not true and I think deep down you know that." Sofia said sadly. "You have a family and I'm sure that no matter what has transpired between you, they would be devastated if you died. Your mother and father, Cordelia and Callista..."

Cedric thumbed over Sofia's hands gently and sighed. "Sofia, I love you. And I think perhaps the thing I love most about you is that you have so much goodness within you, you see it everywhere... even when it's not there. Your want to help me and your belief that this world wouldn't be better off without me means more to me than you'll ever know. But you're wrong this time, my dear. I have nothing to offer this world and without you I have nothing in it. That's not a life I want."

Sofia let out a heavy sigh and gripped Cedric's hands tightly. "Letting you die is not an option for me, Cedric."

"It's your only option, my love." Cedric argued. "Whether I stay here and face my punishment or go off into the world and end my miserable existence myself, dead is dead. At least here I can be closer to you for just a little while longer."

"Wh-what if I use the _oblivio_ enchantment?" Sofia offered hopefully. "You wouldn't remember anything. It would be a clean slate for you. You could start over in the world with no idea what you've left behind you or all the things that have happened in your past."

Cedric smiled softly and placed his hand against his wife's cheek. "Sofia, your persistence is charming. But it would still be a life without you in it. And as strongly as I feel about you, whether I would remember you or not, I think I would still _feel_ that you're missing. I would be just as miserable, only with no idea why."

Sofia looked up at Cedric, tears making their way to her eyes. "Cedric, please... please just-"

"The horse is ready." Baileywick said as he approached the two, hands on his hips to mark his impatience. "Time to go."

"I'm not going anywhere." Cedric said firmly as he turned to face the castle steward. "I'm going to stay here and accept my punishment."

"A fine idea." Baileywick replied. "But you know _she_ won't allow that."

Sofia stared at Cedric defiantly, hand reaching for the wand she'd earlier tucked away. Tears were now streaming down her face as she produced the wand and pointed it at her husband. "He's right, you know. I really don't want to force you but I'll do what I have to. I can't let you die."

"Even if I want to?" Cedric retorted, crossing his arms over his chest. "Sofia, I have nothing left to live for."

"Yes you do." Sofia struggled to say past the lump rising in her throat. "You just don't know it yet..."

"Sofia, that's enough." Baileywick interjected. "Just incapacitate him and get it over with."

Sofia shook her head, tears flying as she did so. "No, Lily was right. I have to tell him. If I don't tell him I'm going to regret it for the rest of my life. He deserves to know."

Cedric looked back and forth between Sofia and Baileywick in confusion. "Tell me _what_?"

"Sofia, it's a mistake." Baileywick warned.

Sofia ignored Baileywick's words and reached out to clutch Cedric's hand, placing the appendage flat against her stomach. She stared up at him, his eyes slowly widening as if in understanding. "This is your reason, Cedric."

"Sofia, you..." Cedric blinked down at his wife in awe before throwing his arms around her. "I'm not going anywhere, _especially_ now! There's so much that-"

"Cedric." Sofia interrupted, pulling back from her husband sadly. She lifted the wand to point at his head and spoke a sleeping spell. " _Somniculouse_."

Baileywick reached out to catch Cedric as he fell into a magic induced slumber before turning a stern gaze to the young woman before him. "Sofia, why did you tell him?"

"He should know he's going to be a father." Sofia answered. "I couldn't keep it from him."

"You know he won't stay away now that he knows you're pregnant." Baileywick said irritably.

"I... I know that." Sofia replied, lowering her head. "But I still had to tell him."

Baileywick sighed heavily and hoisted Cedric up, draping his motionless form over the horse before climbing on himself. "I hope you're prepared to handle the repercussions when he comes back, because you know he _will_ come back. I won't be around to help you save him when that happens."

Sofia held her breath for a moment before stepping forward hesitantly. "Wait." She approached the horse, staring up at Cedric in disappointment. She knew Baileywick was right. Cedric wasn't going to stay away now that he knew she was carrying his child. If he returned there would undoubtedly be chaos and _somebody_ would end up dead. That was something she couldn't allow no matter how firmly she believed he deserved to know about his child. She raised the wand again and pointed at her husband, clenching her eyes shut so that she wouldn't have to witness her own deed. " _Oblivio_."

Baileywick stared down at Sofia calmly a moment. He could see the look of devastation coming over her face as she pried her eyes open to stare at Cedric's still unmoving form. "You did the right thing, Sofia. It really is better for everyone this way. Even him."

Sofia continued to watch Cedric, half expecting him to snap from his slumber and scold her for robbing him of the knowledge that he would soon be a father. He didn't, of course, but it didn't stop the feeling of dread from whirling around in her stomach that she might one day have to explain herself to him. After a moment she was finally able to raise her gaze to Baileywick's face and rasp out a question. "Where are you going to take him?"

"I don't think I should tell you." Baileywick answered with a sigh. "I'm sure you understand."

Sofia bowed her head once more and nodded. "Yes, I understand."

"Good." Baileywick replied. "Take care of yourself, Sofia, and good luck with your baby. I have a feeling you're going to need it."

"Thank you, Baileywick, for everything." Sofia whispered. "Goodbye, old friend."

"Goodbye, Sofia." Baileywick muttered, casting the woman a reluctant smile.

Sofia listened in heartbroken silence as Baileywick started the horse into motion. She could hear the gallops fading into the distance just as the sound of horns trumpeting echoed across the expanse. Cedric had been discovered missing and it was only a matter of time before the royal guards were sent out in search of him. She clenched the wand in her hand and started out of the stables, prepared to do whatever necessary to facilitate her husband's escape. As the sun began to lighten the morning sky she watched the distance as Baileywick and Cedric disappeared completely from sight before turning her eyes to the approaching guards.

She raised the wand in their direction and flashed them a dangerous glare. "This is where you stop..."

* * *

AN #2: Secondary chapter title is "Save Yourself, I'll Hold Them Back" but I didn't want to give too much away with the title.

It's bitter sweet for me to be leaving this story at this point but this is where I have to leave it. I know there's still some unanswered questions... and I want it that way. ;)

Here is how the shorter version was going to play out:

Sofia was actually supposed to be successful in killing Jonathan, doing so with Cedric's wand which in turn would have caused damage to her soul (because killing with magic does very bad things to a person.) Cedric was going to help care for her in that time and help her adjust to life with a fractured soul and all the nasty repercussions that come along with it. Months were going to go by (which would have been glossed over) where they continued a sexual relationship, though Sofia's coldness to Cedric would have been made worse by the damage she had caused herself. Essentially, there was going to be more push and pull between the two until a tender moment on Wassailia where Cedric successfully "healed" the scarring around Sofia's ankles (by sacrificing his own flesh to do so) and she would have softened to him a bit.

Shortly after that, Abigail (who was never meant to become such an important character) starts to notice the changes in Sofia's body and also that the queen hasn't had a period for some time. She makes a careless remark to Cedric about preparing a room for the baby, though he had no idea because Sofia had decided not to tell him. Rather than confront her, however, he decides to wait and see how long she will keep the child a secret.

In this time she finds the letter he'd written for her and decides to read it out of curiosity. She realizes the amulet is with Wormwood (which is where I'd originally intended) and goes to fetch it. Cedric interrupts her in the process but she doesn't let him stop her. He begins to plead with her desperately not to do anything rash and she basically tells him to go fuck himself. He tries to reason with her, reveals that he knows about their baby and that if she brings her family back there will be no future for them because they will kill him.

Sofia still chooses her family over Cedric and, as he had warned, they want him executed. Because she doesn't want her child's father dead she wipes his memory before her family can capture him and sends him off into the world with nothing, deeming it punishment enough for all that he's done.

...

While both versions have their merits I am actually happier having gone with the longer version. I feel that it had a lot more meat on its bones and I really got to play more with raw emotions that the other version just wouldn't have allowed.

I hope you enjoyed this story and I hope you stick around my page because there is definitely more to come. ;)

THANK YOU FOR READING!


	29. Picking up the Pieces (An Epilogue)

AN: An update!? WHAT!? I know, this must come as a surprise to those of you who thought this story was done and over with. Well, I am pleased to announce that I am currently in the process of writing the sequel!

The sequel will be titled **The Man Who Sold the World** and it will be released **December 16** **th** as a Wassailia present.

For now, I hope you enjoy this short little epilogue!

* * *

Nobody was supposed to talk about what had happened.

That was the one rule Sofia really couldn't come to terms with. She had accepted the fact that she was bound to the castle grounds at all times and she understood why she was forced to have at least four armed guards around her any time she stepped out of her quarters. She even tolerated the extreme vetting process her friends had to endure in order to visit with her for the allotted five minute time period before they were sent away. She could reconcile with all of this but she absolutely could not stomach the idea that they were to remain tight-lipped about everything that had occurred over the past several years.

The things they had heard, the things they had seen, the things they had _felt_... they were supposed to ignore it, to pretend that none of it had happen. They were supposed to bury it deep down inside and forget about it all. That was impossible for her. Unfathomable even. How could she be expected forget it all when her body was littered with constant reminders? The scars around her ankles from the years she'd spent shackled in a cell, the residual impression of the amulet that marked the flesh along her spine, her wedding band encircled around her finger forever tying her to a man who's name she wasn't even allowed to mention, all of it screamed to her; _remember, remember, remember_!

But, of course, her belly growing beneath the gowns she wore was by far the most prominent reminder of the events that had occurred and she couldn't keep silent about it. Not for much longer...

Thankfully she had her sister to confide in.

Amber too was having a difficult time keeping her thoughts and feelings contained. The atrocities they had experienced were imprinted on them like a brand that had seared their very souls and pretending that none of it had even taken place was not only unhealthy, it was an insult to their very existence.

So every evening after the castle was darkened at the curfew implemented by their over protective parents, Sofia would sneak from her room via a secret door down a long, winding passage until she came to Amber's room.

It was here they spoke of all the things that their parents had hoped to keep buried. It was here they expressed their anger and their frustration, their pain and their sorrow. It was here they shared their experiences over the years, however unpleasant, and consoled one-another when the overwhelming grief of it all seemed too much to bear.

It was here they healed.

Though as safe of a place to converse as Amber's room was there were still many things that Sofia simply couldn't tell her sister, particularly the truth about how her pregnancy had come to be.

Amber had assumed, perhaps rightly so, that her sister had been taken against her will and forced to endure such heinous acts just as she had. The very thought was upsetting to Amber and often brought tears of fury to her eyes but Sofia knew the truth would be even more damning for the older woman to hear. She just couldn't bring herself to look her sister in the eye and tell her that she had willingly given herself over to the man that her entire family blamed for all of their suffering.

So she kept those details to herself and skirted around the topic every time Amber mentioned that there were spells and potions to eliminate the pregnancy. It wasn't something she was interested in hearing so she changed the subject every time and prayed silently that it wouldn't be brought up again, though it nearly always came back around eventually.

Before too long her parents would become aware and they too would likely suggest that the most prudent course of action would be to do away with the pregnancy that they would assume was unwanted. She was prepared for it and everything she might have to say in refusal but ready as she may be, the thought didn't hurt her any less.

It seemed that she was the only one to see her pregnancy as a second chance; as something good that had come out of a very bad situation.

That was the belief she was going to cling to as her belly swelled more and more each day with vibrant life and she was never going to let anybody tell her otherwise.

* * *

AN #2: So I'm about to sound like a paranoid nutcase right now but I will be flying out of state this weekend. I am DEATHLY afraid of planes and am convinced that the plane will undoubtedly crash if I am on it. IF I have not posted The Man Who Sold the World on the 16th just assume the worst.

I know, like I said, paranoid nutcase. Anyhow, thank you as always for reading and please let me know what you think!


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